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

    starting to worry about my KDB captaincy

    1. El-Kloppico
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      You are not alone mate

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

      Me too

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

    Sidibe blocking my Lundstram points

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

      point*

    2. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      What pts?

    3. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      🙁 if only there were Lundstram points. Goal would be lovely, and due

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

    Knew it, soon as i brought Ings in. Typical.
    So damn glad City are playing trash though so silver linings

    1. Sharkytect
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Has he been subbed off?

  4. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Budget strikers making a difficult decision for my Jimmy replacement

    DCL? Tosun? Maupay? Martinelli for the uber punt?

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

      DCL. His underlying stats are great. Watching the game, I'm very pleased with my choice.

      1. Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Cheers for feedback. Interesting, based on upcoming fixtures I was leaning towards Maupay instead, thoughts on him?

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

        Not worried by the fixture turn?

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

          He has 3 great fixtures left. That's plenty of time for him to deliver and for me to reconsider what to do with him.

          1. Top Lad Dakes.
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Not sure if I’d classify wat CRY as great tbh on current form!

            Surely bou whu better?

    2. COLLIN QUANER
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      DCL. I got him last week and have been very impressed

  5. Party time
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Sad birthday for pep

      1. El-Kloppico
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        No manager has ever won a PL match on their birthday

      2. Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        It was yesterday?

    • Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      How much added time needed for Sidibe to get CS points?

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

      Masuaku v tired legs

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

        PLEASE

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

        Is he not up against Sidibe?

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

          Kinda. Sidibe RW.

    • Chenku╰☆╮
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Sterling just get a RC so we don't have to consider thinking about you for a good while

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

      Ings isn't going to score is he

      1. Bobby Digital
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        He will

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

        Doubtful. Off soon for a rest.

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

        Probably not. He was never going to win the golden boot, was he?

    • Soto Ayam
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      De bryne the safe option. Love it.

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

        he does have around 140% EO

        1. Soto Ayam
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Oh I have him to. Just love it when the majority are wrong, makes things interesting

      2. El-Kloppico
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Dont thibk there was any safe bet this week.

    • have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      time to only allocate 5 mins a week to fantasy. Isnt fun anymore, isnt predictable at all. Its been horrendous GWs so often this season. So bored of it

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

        Absolute gash isnt it... Watching my player miss sitters every single week..

        1. Party time
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Lol

            I know how it feels

          • have you seen cyan
            • 4 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            I have never seen a season b4 where so many GWs I have genuinely been concerned I may get my lowest ever GW score in history. This is about the fifth week this season wheres its had the potential to be, this week im guessing it is.... I dont see myself getting over 25 this week, literally just appearance points im getting

        2. Soto Ayam
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Who would like something predictable?

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

          You're bored because it's not predictable? Sounds counterintuitive...

          1. have you seen cyan
            • 4 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            palace beating city lol come on

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

              You said it's not fun anymore, I find that quite fun.

      2. FPL Blow-In
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Come on Digne and Grealish!

      3. Chenku╰☆╮
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Martibelli welcome to my team

        1. Top Lad Dakes.
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Over DCL/Maupay?

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

        KDB captain fail

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

        Sidibe blocking Kelly pts. Sooso unfortunate. On 6 from 6. Lol Anybody doing worse?

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

          Kelly won’t have points come FT.

      6. Zilla
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        My team is transferring a binary message I believe

        1. El-Kloppico
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Check again.. There is no 2 in binary.. Lol

      7. Tasty Jerk
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Jesus on

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

        Jesus on

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

        Jesus on
        Dilva off

      10. El-Kloppico
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Sterling should have gone too.. So crap. Back to his LIV days

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

        Jesus on for who?

        1. Big Mac 24
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          David

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

        Come on Masuaku, make some magic.

      13. Champions League Varane
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Please hold on Palace...

        1. Pompel
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Nah, could do with a Gundo goal or something - too many Guaita owners

      14. Pompel
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        A KDB blank and hopefully same for Vardy would at least do some damage control to an otherwise bleak GW

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

          Vardy hat-trick.

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

          Vardy is gonna smash it

      15. Bubz
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Well this is utter shite

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

        VAR check for Wolves pen...it should be Jimenez's turn to take.

        1. Top Lad Dakes.
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          God I need a goal

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

        What a move!

        Jesus close.

      18. Champions League Varane
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Jimi pen

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

        Wolves pen

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

          Jiminez goal

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

        I'm on 36 now if everything stays put. But I'll probably lose the CS's at the end.