Dugout Discussion

Sterling and Bernardo benched as Guardiola starts both Aguero and Jesus

The final match of Gameweek 22 sees Aston Villa play host to Manchester City. Kick-off at Villa Park is at 16:30 GMT.

Ever the slippery one with his team selections, Pep Guardiola has sprung another surprise by naming both Sergio Aguero (£11.8m) and Gabriel Jesus (£9.5m) in the starting XI for the first time in the Premier League this season.

That spells bad news for Raheem Sterling (£11.8m), who is benched for the second successive Gameweek; that previously hadn’t happened this season or last.

Bernardo Silva (£7.8m) and Kyle Walker (£5.8m) also drop to the bench after their run-outs in the Manchester derby in midweek.

Kevin De Bruyne (£10.6m) starts his 14th Premier League game in a row.

Dean Smith has handed Danny Drinkwater (£4.4m) an Aston Villa debut and understandably looks to be treating this game with a lot of caution, sacrificing Trezeguet (£5.2m) from what had been a 3-4-3 in Gameweek 21.

Frederic Guilbert (£4.4m) is only among the substitutes, while Matt Targett (£4.4m) remains out injured.

Jack Grealish (£6.5m) is again handed an advanced role in the hosts’ attack, along with Anwar El Ghazi (£5.5m).

Grealish was the most-bought Fantasy Premier League midfielder of Gameweek 22.

De Bruyne is the second-most-popular captaincy choice this weekend and was handed the armband by 17.98% of the top 10,000 FPL managers.

Grealish and De Bruyne are the only two players on show at Villa Park who have double-digit ownerships within the top 10k.


Man City XI: Ederson, Cancelo, Fernandinho, Stones, Mendy, Rodrigo, D Silva, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Jesus, Aguero.

Aston Villa XI: Nyland, Konsa, Mings, Hause, Elmohamady, Luiz, Drinkwater, Hourihane, Taylor, Grealish, El Ghazi.

2,333 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Skalla
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Guess the Drinkwater bandwagon is not going to happen...

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

    No way Drinkwater should've started, crazy decision.

  3. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Oh dear ... this is OR killer game

  4. Woy
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Kun (c) lets get it

  5. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    LOL. Aston Villa fans leaving already.

  6. Lecky Legs FC
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Captain Aguero

  7. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Drinkwater at fault for all goals. Nice signing.

  8. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    KDB lucky assist

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      I happily take it.

  9. Licky
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    This is going splendidly.

  10. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    RIP Villa

  11. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Chucky could score vs Villa, if he was playing.....

  12. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Epic Fail spotted leaving 😉

    1. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Epic Fails a Birmingham City fan.....

      1. Gnu
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Nope, he's a Villan

  13. el polako
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Go and f... yourself Riyad, I need KDB to rack up some points.

  14. Skalla
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Villa fans leaving?!

  15. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Villa fans off to the bar or home already 🙂

  16. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Its amazing how Aguero gets injured and then just picks up from where he left off every single time.

    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Best striker in the world. Love him

    2. MITHRRANDIRR
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      City would be top if baldie was not tinkering with him early on.

  17. Athletic Nasherbo
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Aguero!!!!

  18. MagicMessi
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Hope KDB cry babies are chill now 😉

    1. Woy_is_back
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Need moreeeeeeeee

    2. grumpyman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Super chill, thanks.

  19. tucaoneo
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Vardy massive sale incoming.

  20. Party time
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Kdb ass. Lovely Jubbly

      1. Ha.
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Perve

      2. Gudjohnsen
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Was it though?

    • Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Glad for the KDB assist but Kev is not getting any bonus today. All the forwards will snap them up!

      1. Woy_is_back
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Nah, he´s adding another goal and assist

    • BobB
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Old Skool Arsenal fan. Tyrone Mings has England caps. Peter Simpson never got one. The game is dead to me.

    • Regin
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      southampton vs leicester 0-9 record in danger now

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Great minds think alike :))

    • FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Can they beat 9:0 and the Southampton game?

      1. Regin
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        see my comment above

      2. TheDragon
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        If they keep trying then 100%

    • Licky
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Are people actually leaving?

    • ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Kdb needs to at least score now.

    • TheDragon
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      This new Villa keeper ..... they got any alternatives?!

    • Yank Revolution
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      What an idiotic maneuver by those so-called 'supporters', leaving the game you traveled for and paid good money for 29 minutes into it. Utterly insane.

      1. tucaoneo
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Sunk costs mean nothing.

        1. Yank Revolution
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Then why bother going in the first place if you're just going to leave after 30 minutes. Illogical.

      2. Nomar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Yes.

        Should have just saved their money and watched it online like the rest of us.

      3. Tsparkes10
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        If this happens against us next home game I'll be sat and admiring

    • goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      This may be the single worst CM performance in PL history from Drinkwater

      1. Regin
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        giving his first start against city of all teams probably bad coaching decision. now we will see him after 1 year.

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

        Djemba-Djemba and Kleberson relieved.

    • Niho992
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Rival has Aguero and KdB and i have Sterling(C). This is fine.