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

    Snodgrass might be a good cheap option for the DGW.

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

    All board the Maupay Moped

  3. Royal5
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Everton CS gone. Nice.

  4. Eleven Hag
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Can city win this ?

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

      Of course.

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

    DCL Goal

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

      Digne assist?

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

        Holgate

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

      Get in

  6. FER FUSCH AKE
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Torres magic losing it.

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

    If City lose points today is the title race over?

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

      Ask yourself that question 3 months ago.

  8. Bury94
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    DCL goal

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Torres magic again

      1. UTD - HATED, ADORED, BUT NE…
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Got to make your own decisions and stand by them

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

          it was madness, would never have followed through anyway

      2. clempro
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Almost brought him in for Rich, but went Maddison instead....

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

        Make enough ridiculous decisions and one will eventually pay off..

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

          lol exactly

    2. nerd_is_the_werd
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Not looking like a great gameweek so far..

    3. Rik Waller
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      My earlier post...

      "a) Gazza > Ryan
      or
      b)Mount > Trossard???"

      Guess what I went for

      1. DandyDon
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Ouch

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

        Hope you get Ryan’s clean sheet at least!

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

      Surely letting a goal in is better than being 10 men for 1 hour against an attacking team away from home

    5. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Everton Goal

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

      Dunk Yellow

      1. Team Cruel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        What a clown

        1. OPTA FPL
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          haha

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

      FINALLY a player of mine scores! GET IN DCL

      1. Dr. Agabuse
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        yuhu

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

      DCL goal

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

      DCL you may smell my feet, you rule!!!!!

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

        Think holgate assist...

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

      Holgate assist I think

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

      DCL & Maupay wagons!

    12. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Never thought I'd be saying this while Eddie Howe was manager, but Bournemouth are in real danger here.

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

      DCL G

      Good for TorresMagic.

      1. luke
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Do you have your own team?

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

      Holgate assist DCL goal
      beautiful combo

    15. bialk
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      DCL on bench 🙁

    16. Slartibartfast
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      D(C)L 😎

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

      Martinelli goal

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

        Saka assist

    18. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      OMG Martinelli

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

      Shane Long was the superior pick over Danny Ings... should've known

    20. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      I hope Bournemouth will relegate and never come back.

    21. kraftwerker
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      budget strikers on fire

    22. toerag
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      drunken captain change
      KdB to Mane (c)

      😆 😆

      1. FPL.team
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Vardy to Maupay here.

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

          😆