Dugout Discussion

Mahrez and Jesus benched as Guardiola rotation strikes again

Pep Guardiola has frustrated Fantasy Premier League managers once again by leaving Riyad Mahrez (£8.5m) and Gabriel Jesus (£9.5m) on the bench.

That move sees Raheem Sterling (£11.8m) and Bernardo Silva (£7.8m) come back into the side for the visit of Crystal Palace.

There is better news for owners of Kevin de Bruyne (£10.7m) and Sergio Aguero (£11.8m) who both keep their places from the win at Aston Villa.

Owners of Martin Kelly (£4.4m) have some reasons to be encouraged, even if they are benching him for the Eagles’ trip to the Etihad Stadium.

Despite Joel Ward‘s (£4.3m) return to fitness, the budget defender starts at right-back while Cenk Tosun (£5.7m) is set to make his Palace debut, named up-front alongside Jordan Ayew (£5.0m).

It is Moise Kean (£6.4m) who replaces the injured Richarlison (£8.1m) for Everton, while Djibril Sidibé (£5.4m) is benched in favour of Seamus Coleman (£5.3m).

Jack Grealish (£6.5m) looks set for another outing as a centre-forward for Aston Villa as Dean Smith lines up in a 3-4-3 formation, with the midfielder at the apex.

There is a return for Matt Targett (£4.4m), who looks to operating as a left wing-back in front of a back-three.

Opponents Brighton have gone with a front-three of Leandro Trossard (£5.8m), Neal Maupay (£5.9m) and Aaron Connolly (£4.4m).

Despite suggestions of rotation at Southampton, Danny Ings (£6.9m) holds onto his starting berth against Wolves.

Mikel Arteta is forced into a change at the back for Arsenal, Sokratis Papastathopoulos (£4.9m) out with illness. That sees Shkodran Mustafi (£5.2m) replace him at centre-back.

Meanwhile, Ainsley Maitland-Niles (£4.6m) holds onto his right-back berth although Hector Bellerín (£5.4m) is back on the bench.

Gabriel Martinelli (£4.5m) comes in for the suspended Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.7m).

Opponents Sheffield United are without David McGoldrick (£5.4m) who has suffered a minor foot injury, which means Lys Mousset (£4.7m) and Oli McBurnie (£5.7m) lead the line, supported by key midfielder John Lundstram (£5.1m).

Norwich have handed an immediate debut to new signing Duda (£5.0m) while there are starts in their attack for Todd Cantwell (£4.9m) and Teemu Pukki (£6.5m).

Bournemouth have lined-up in a 4-3-3 formation with Ryan Fraser (£6.9m) and Harry Wilson (£5.9m) either side of Callum Wilson (£7.4m).

Arsenal XI: Leno; Maitland-Niles, Mustafi, D Luiz, Saka; Torreira, Xhaka, Ozil; Pepe, Martinelli, Lacazette.

Sheffield United XI: Henderson; Basham, Egan, O’Connell; Baldock, Lundstram, Norwood, Fleck, Stevens; McBurnie, Mousset.

Brighton XI: Ryan; Alzate, Dunk, Webster, Bernardo; Mooy, Stephens, Propper; Trossard, Maupay, Connolly.

Aston Villa XI: Reina; Konsa, Mings, Hause; Guilbert, Drinkwater, Nakamba, Targett; Trezeguet, Grealish, El Ghazi

Manchester City XI: Ederson; Mendy, Fernandinho, Stones, Cancelo; D Silva, de Bruyne, Gundogan; Sterling, Aguero, B Silva

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita; Riedewald, Cahill, Tomkins, Kelly; Zaha, Kouyaté, McCarthy, McArthur; Ayew, Tosun.

Norwich XI: Krul; Byram, Zimmermann, Godfrey, Aarons; Tettey, McLean; Duda, Cantwell, Buendía; Pukki.

Bournemouth XI: Ramsdale; Rico, Aké, S Cook, A Smith; Billing, Gosling, Lerma; Fraser, C Wilson, H Wilson.

Southampton XI: McCarthy; Bertrand, Bednarek, J Stephens, Cédric; Redmond, Ward-Prowse, Højbjerg, Armstrong; S Long, Ings.

Wolves XI: Patrício; Saïss, Coady, Dendoncker; Jonny, Neves, Moutinho, Doherty; Neto, Jiménez, Traoré.

West Ham XI: Randolph; Cresswell, Diop, Ogbonna, Zabaleta; Rice, Noble; Snodgrass, Lanzini, Fornals; Haller.

Everton XI: Pickford; Digne, Holgate, Mina, Coleman; Bernard, Delph, T Davies, Walcott; Kean, Calvert-Lewin

2,126 Comments Post a Comment
  1. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    OMG Bednarek

  2. Hotdogs for Tea
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    The irony is that KDB gets negative bps for that effort, I believe

    1. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      No he doesnt. He just doesnt get + baps for shot on target

      1. Hotdogs for Tea
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        shot off target -1 bps

    2. jtreble
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Ha ha. Good one. 🙂

    3. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Gets + XG though

  3. Collie01
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Anybody know KDB's EO?

    1. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Must be well over 200%

  4. WVA
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    SAINTS

  5. Ha.
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    KDB captainers in tears

  6. teddypicker
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    -BPS for kdb

  7. Woy_is_back
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    thank you kdb hihi

  8. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Who broke Ings?

    1. BNMC
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Hi.

    2. InSaneMan-e
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Im sorry. Did the same with Vardy too.

    3. HashAttack
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Sorry - couldn't let my rival carrying on having that edge every week

  9. Regin
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Ings assist?

  10. Mo Salah No Mane
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    De Bruyne wasting Agueros assist there with that free kick

  11. BNMC
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    The moment I buy Ings, he stops scoring. Perfect.
    At least it messes everyone else up.

    1. denial
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Games not finished mate

    2. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      18 mins played ffs loool

  12. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Palace denied pen.

  13. Ribus
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    First time i own Ings.
    Sorry guys.

    1. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Sorry for what? I'll take an assist

      1. HonestBlatter
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Header to Bedranek but not given in FPL

  14. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Zaha diving school

  15. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Rico assist, CS and 3bps incoming. I feel it.

  16. Moose™
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Damn. Ml rival have Bednarek. I GOT Stephens instead. Gg

  17. HurriKane
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Stonewall penalty for palace that is

    1. WVA
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Haha

    2. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      prefer the term "Cast Iron"

  18. Regin
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Wasn't it an ings assist? He got the flick?

    1. HonestBlatter
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Yes but not given

  19. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Sheffield United is a really good side.

  20. Sailboats
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Possible Ings assist

  21. Differential C (Mark)
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Bednarek, Polish Maldini 🙂

  22. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Zaha steps over the ball and into Stones...ridiculous claim

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Pebbles owner?

  23. Muchentuchel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Clear penalty over the whole planet... don't get how VAR decided Zaha dived.

    1. WVA
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Clear dive

      1. Muchentuchel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        He didn't step into Stones' way... it was the other way around.

  24. DAZZ
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Could be an Ings assist, difficult to tell at that pace

  25. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    clear Ward Prowse assist

  26. Hazardous1983
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    No ings assist given

  27. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Bring Ings in, would be a nobody that scores lol

  28. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Ings will get the assist because of his ownership levels.

  29. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Anyone who knows the rules seen the Saints goal?

    Ings assist or not?

    1. Zladan
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Ings assist. He just flicks on the cross. I guess they’re trying to see if he definitely touched it or not.

  30. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Where is Ingsy's assist?