Dugout Discussion

Foden makes first league start of season as De Bruyne takes up advanced role

The penultimate match of Gameweek 17 kicks off at 16:30 GMT, as Manchester City head to the Emirates to take on Arsenal.

Without the injured David Silva (£7.6m) and Sergio Aguero (£11.7m), Pep Guardiola has sprung a surprise by naming Phil Foden (£5.1m) in his starting XI for the first time in the Premier League this season.

With midfield anchors Ilkay Gundogan (£5.2m) and Rodri (£5.4m) in the visitors’ line-up, Kevin De Bruyne (£10.2m) looks to be playing in a more advanced role behind Foden, Raheem Sterling (£11.8m) and Gabriel Jesus (£9.6m).

Nicolas Otamendi (£5.0m) and Benjamin Mendy (£5.5m) also come into the side from the team that was defeated in the Manchester derby, with Angelino (£4.7m) and the sidelined John Stones (£5.3m) making way.

Bernardo Silva (£7.9m) and Riyad Mahrez (£8.3m) are only amongst the substitutes.

Freddie Ljungberg has made two enforced changes to the side that beat West Ham last Monday, with Sead Kolasinac (£5.2m) and Matteo Guendouzi (£4.5m) coming in for the injured Kieran Tierney (£5.4m) and Granit Xhaka (£5.1m).

Alexandre Lacazette (£9.3m) is again among the substitutes as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.8m) leads the line for the Gunners.

Mesut Ozil (£7.2m) makes his seventh straight Premier League start.

At the risk of jinxing it, there ought to be goals in this fixture: Arsenal and City are without a league clean sheet in eight and six matches respectively.

Bernd Leno (£5.0m) has made more saves than any other Fantasy Premier League goalkeeper this season.

City have scored at least two goals in each of the last seven league meetings with the Gunners.

Fantasy managers have been deserting the premium players from these two clubs recently: De Bruyne, Sterling and Aubameyang were three of the four most-sold FPL assets of Gameweek 17.


Arsenal XI: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Sokratis, Chambers, Kolasinac, Guendouzi, Torreira, Pepe, Özil, Martinelli, Aubameyang.

Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Fernandinho, Otamendi, Mendy, Gundogan, Rodri, Foden, De Bruyne, Sterling, Jesus.

1,617 Comments Post a Comment
  1. shirtless
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Swapping Salah for Mane GW14 cost me 9 points. Close to selling KdB this week for Son. Learnt my lesson. Salah back for GW19, KdB going nowhere.

  2. Kaiser123
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Surely I’m through in the cup with 8 points in front and opponent has Kelly to play.

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      9 pointer merchant him if there's a CS

  3. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Should have captained KDB :-). Sterling -> KDB working out well

  4. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Hope Ljungberg is okay. Hasn't posted since he rolled his eyes at my post.

  5. Ask Yourself
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Need an Arsenal goal or out of cup unless KDB score 2 more. Do I have a chance of either of these things happening?

    1. Sid1891
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Both possible

    2. The Ejiptian King
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      I had about a 20 point lead in the cup with only KdB left for him I think...

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Oh Jesus Ed I am so sorry

  6. aborg
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Need Jesus to do his part now

  7. Party time
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Kdb murdering my rank

      1. OverTinker
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        everyone's 🙁

        1. Pompel
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          Still in 38% of teams, so not really

    • FPL Blow-In
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Sure Kevin on pens now if they get one to give him his third

    • HurriKane
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Nearly 250k shipped KDB before arsenal.

      What on earth were they thinking? Crazy

      1. Rainer
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Save 0.1m I think.

      2. Twisted Saltergater
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        It’s the bloody sheep that drive the dramatic price changes.

    • Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Magnus Carlsen is a casual!

      Profile needs updating.

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Oh how wonderful this is

    • Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Cheers Kev, Magnus is crying

      1. Woy_is_back
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Yaaaaaas

    • Sailboats
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      KDB is not even in the FFS Watchlist. Please update it mods

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Why would he have been? He has been cack for weeks

        1. EL_FENOMENO
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          You clearly havent watched him play in those weeks

        2. Sailboats
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          He should be now =)

        3. Camzy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          If by weeks you mean 2 then sure. He's scored 2 goals in the last 4 games.

        4. potatoace
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          His last goal was 2 weeks ago. Hardly a drought

    • JustPark
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Everton to keep cs next week?

      1. Limbo
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        No. We don’t do CS

    • OverTinker
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Next week KDB will come back in mid so I am still not going for him

      1. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Will Pep really change it after this? Might bring Silva in for Gundo and keep everything else the same.

        1. OverTinker
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          Yes he will. Bernardo or Mahrez will come back. I am city fan and always wanted kDB to play there but unfortunately it won't happen

    • Hotdogs for Tea
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      KdB single handedly saving my GW 🙂

    • Bouncebackability
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      FL cup opponent has Aguero captain, KDB vice ha

      1. Pras (FPL)
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Lol.. somehow always happens in the cup..

      2. Optimus.
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        How about your Wigan to me opponent?

        1. Bouncebackability
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          I’m getting blitzed by them Optimus, they hit is just too good

          1. Bouncebackability
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 4 months ago

            That guy*

      3. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Some Egyptian guy with team name MoSalah with Salah captain ruining me so far. Fun times.

    • Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Arsenal back to negative goal difference after 17 game...FFS

      1. Rainer
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Emery OUT

        1. Sid1891
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          Voted

        2. Werner Bremen
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          Wenger OUT

      2. Pras (FPL)
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Wenger back

      3. TAT
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        I'm more worried about the league position come May, to be honest. I wouldn't rule out relegation.

      4. Superflymonk
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Lol did you really think there was a revival? Shakes head. Since the day they sold Fabregas Nasri and Van Persie I knew this team had just dug its own grave.

      5. DandyDon
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Wenger IN!

    • TheDragon
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      The magic of the cup

    • Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      KDB -> Richarlison?

      1. GOTHAM City F.C.
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Ahead of the curve

    • Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      2 more goals from KDB and I'll be on 100pts

      1. Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Sh*t Id come close then 😆

        My wee brother would sail well clear. Salah TC too

    • The Mandalorian
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Cats have been harmed since the last KDB goal

    • Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Pulisic to:

      A) Richarlison
      B) Son (with TAA to Aurier)

      1. Eleven Hag
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        B

    • diesel001
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      KDB deserves a hat-trick. And City players ought to help him get it. How many times has he assisted them for their goals. Time they paid him back.

      1. DandyDon
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Would love this

      2. Says
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        I doubt KDB is insecure enough to need goals himself to validate his greatness

    • Rash
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      KDB sellers in tears

      1. Nostalgia picks
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        that will learn them

    • OverTinker
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      10k to 20k in 40 minutes 😀 things change so quickly

      1. TheDragon
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Subtle brag

        1. OverTinker
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          sorry but I am clueless right now after selling KDB

    • manu4life99
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      What's the sight for live rank

      1. Fred54
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Lack of foresight.

      2. Sailboats
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        livefpl

      3. Says
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        lighve fpl

    • moment
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Need an additional 18 points from Kev and Kelly to make up what I thought was an impossible gulf in my H2H. Any chance?

      1. Sid1891
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Possible
        Goal 3 pts
        Clean sheet 1
        Bonus 4
        Kelly cs 6
        Ass 3
        Bonus 3
        Well over

    • HollywoodXI
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      KDB - singlehandedly saving my GW.

    • RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Kevin kicking all the casual Salah teams out the cup! What a guy!!!! 🙂

    • Hotdogs for Tea
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      FPL should just add the 3 baps to KdB right now