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. Zilla
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Crystal Palace are kinda City's bogey team

    1. -Klaus-
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      They used to be Liverpool's. Only the best for Palace!

  2. sunzip14
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    No CS for Lord

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

    Vardy Maupay DCL the new template front 3?

    1. FPL.team
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      That's mine. Maupay (C).

  4. Camzy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    DCLLLLLLL

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

      2-1?

  5. Greek Shamrocks
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Brought Maupay in for Rashford.... I'll take it.

  6. Deeney-is-a-god
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Did rich-> trossard. Working out so far

  7. Wilshere Knowledge
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Martinelli the super differential. 😎

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

      yea for two more weeks

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

    Lundy CS busted

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

    Points for all the enablers!

  10. jimmyabs1987
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Worst half of fantasy in a long time

    1. Unfathomable Ruination
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Truly

  11. FER FUSCH AKE
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    still no goals for my team.

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

      Same or assists lol

    2. Esalman
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Holgate only attacking return

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

      just the one YC to write home about - misery 🙁

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

    Martinelli

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

    Lundy CS GONE..glad i played soyboy 😎

    1. WVA
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      I made a last minute switch of Soy to Lundstram

  14. TAT
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Saka second on bench…

  15. Collie01
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Pickford good save from Fornals

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

    Y does dunk keep getting yellow cards? His 8th of the season

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

    Drat, getting Deeney over DCL wasn't the best decision I've ever made.

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

    well done Xhaka and Saka

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

      Xsaka

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

    Martinellli would've been my Rashford replacement ffs

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

      Was gonna go for dcl myself, always the risk, as long as rashford is back for Burnley. If he misses that as well then yeah, major regret!

  20. BNMC
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    The scorer and assister for Arsenal's goal are worth as much in FPL as Pepe is combined.

    1. BNMC
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Okay that did not make sense gramatically. But you get the point.

  21. dshv
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Guys Help

    Jimenez and rico for DCL and VAN. DIJK ??

  22. teddypicker
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    At least at this rate KDB isn't getting pulled off at 62 mins

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

      filth

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

      Sounds like bad news for him

  23. WVA
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Another HUGE red arrow for me!

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

    City riding their luck again, only 0-1.

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

    Auba red card gave us the gift of Martinelli for 3 games

  26. AzzaroMax99
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    And I benched Holgate and played Soy. Ffs

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

    Martinelli safe whilst Auba is out?

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Yes

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

    Time to bench Lundstram methinks

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

    Knew I should have captained Salah instead of KDB.

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

      Be careful Salah may get sent off tomorrow

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

    Torres Magic knows...