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. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    City are literally relegation candidates when Sterling is playing

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

    Ings to Tosun done

  3. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Goal Diop....

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

    Palace G

    Tosun G

  5. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Trosard

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

    City cleanie GONE

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

      Everton and Villa also GONE

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

        I am now happy sidibe is benched. Hopefully he wont get a cameo. Soyuncu first sub

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

    lol where's that guy that said he was capping Tosun this week?!

  8. Eleven Hag
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Trossardddddddddddd babyy

  9. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Maupay assist

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

    This Arsenal team is dreadful

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

    City so lucky

  12. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    I can't keep up, too many goals

  13. Pompel
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    FPL article seems to always get one of the differential picks right - Trossard this GW

  14. Tasty Jerk
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Tosun reminds me of Murray

  15. Reiger
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Cenk!

  16. Alnair
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Pretty much silent for 40 min now it's raining goals all of a sudden

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

    Players celebrated Tosun.....VAR?

  18. Teahupo'o
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Ederson...

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

    Nice some new striker bandwagons! Long, Pukki and Tosun 🙂

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

    Tosun nearly again but tripped the tripper.

  21. Pukki Blinders
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Tosun essential

    1. The Mighty Hippo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      £5.7M

  22. Herman Toothrot
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    This game needs more Mahrez

    1. Teahupo'o
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      This!

    2. The Mighty Hippo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Not until the 85th minute

  23. Silecro
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Maupay asist?

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Yes

      • diesel001
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Yes

    2. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Snoddy assist

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

      When will pep learn.

      A. Mahrez is waaaaaaaaaaay better than sterling
      B. B Silva is uuuuuuuuseless

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

      TorresMagic got rid of Trossard and Pukki last GW (GW22).

      Sarr and DCL in
      Trossard and Pukki out

      1. Fred54
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        I effe

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

        Casual...

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

        Ouch

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

        At least he waited till Friday pressers

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

      Broke ings sold rashford so fully expect him to start & score!

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

      KDB played Tosun onside 😯

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

        Pep furious.. might be dropped now

    7. Mo Salah No Mane
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Maupay!

      1. Dr. Agabuse
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        ouch

    8. UTD - HATED, ADORED, BUT NE…
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      KDB looking absolutely abject