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. jimmyabs1987
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Why people saying Man City fail? It’s 26 mins in!?

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

      25 minutes later than normal.

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

      Palace has done it again. Bus that holds

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

      Welcome to FFS

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

      sloppy

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

      Means only 64mins left....

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

      they think they are being funny

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

      Like when Vardy don’t score in first half, they don’t watch the games.

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        CPL their bogey team

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

    Please no Lundy CS today 😮

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

      Need it. Rich autosub shithousery.

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

    Not surprised Haller is missing sitters and Pickford has the game of the season...

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

    1 goal after 30 minutes of play.

    Seems low.

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

      Other than Man City, the big teams aren't playing. No Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea or Leicester.

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

      Because nobody is commenting 3x who they want to score on my post

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

    Keep it up CP

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

    Come on guys you need to comment who you want to score otherwise there will be no more goals!

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

      Jimenez please

    2. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      McCarthy.

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

        Needs to be 3 times

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

      Cantwell

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

    Guaita YC soon if time wasting continues.

  8. Dog and Fox
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    KDB should go to Real Madrid or Barcelona. If he does, CL and ballon d'or incoming!

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

      Or Liverpool

  9. evilfish
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Don't worry everybody has failed apart from Bednarek and Ward-Prowse owners.

    1. evilfish
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      reply fail

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

    FPL tweeted that Ings’ flick did not alter JWP’s intended cross... wtf?

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

      Surely not?

      Any touch is an Ings assist.

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

        Exactly!

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

          Surely they didn’t say Ings...

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

      They didn't say it was Ings who touched it.

    3. Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      huhhh???

    4. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Really? He just needs to touch it for an assist

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

      Ridiculous

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

      They’re saying it hit a defender not ings hence the wording

    7. manu4life99
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Never an Ings assist

  11. lordkippe
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    This is looking like a gw when my Clean sheets will be wiped late. will probably have fun from 60 to 85 minutes of gametime

  12. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Cuty only 1 SoT. Fail captain

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

    Painfully slow week

  14. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Low scoring GW. Tomorrow Party captainers to have enormous rank increase

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

    Never bench Lundstram!

    Lesson learned

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

      Did he score?

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

        No cs locked it seems.

        Arsenal so bad!

    2. TRIPOS TOPPER
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      bit early

      I benched Aurier

    3. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      I benched in favour of Baldock

      1. Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        And Aurier! 😀

  16. tambourineman
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Steve Cook red card, Norwich pen

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

    Everton losing the ball so rashly in midfield. Digne and Coleman getting caught high up the pitch a few times leaving space for West Ham counter.

  18. The Ejiptian King
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Bournemouth are the dirt worst.

  19. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Norwich pen

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

    Just realised that Callum Wilson has had his first shot on target today since October.

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

      Such a strange season for him. Didn't blank for the first 7-8 weeks and hasn't not blanked since.

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

    Looks like a late drama kind of week 😀

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

    Red card cook. Diving save lol pen Norwich

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

      Pukki goal

  23. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Fantastic save by Cook

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

    I really don't see what pep sees in b Silva. He just runs but nothing else

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

    Who won it?

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

      Duda shot, Steve Cook handball

  26. Shultan
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    City were much better last week without sterling

  27. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Who brought down

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

      Nobody. Cook saved it with his hands.

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

    Gundo messing up

  29. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Any Ings touch is an assist. Doesn't matter if intentional or not

    FPL making the rules are up as they go along

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

      I thinks its more that it didnt alter the direction of the ball.

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

      Ings did not touch it. Why are people talking crap. If anything, it was a Wolves defender who touched it.

  30. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Bournemouth...goose Cooked