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. WVA
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Pope
    Fab
    McCarthy
    Give up

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

      Gazzaniga-> fab last week -> McCarthy

  2. Drop Dead Tsimikas
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Phenomenal. That will be 2 points from 2 SOU defenders for me.

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

      Y double up?

  3. Party time
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Siiiiiiiiiio Señorrrrrrre

    • nerd_is_the_werd
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Time for Mahrez to come on surely.

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

        Pls.

    • Woy_is_back
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      yeaaaaah jimmyboy

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

        The postman delivers again

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

      Worst week this season. Might finally be out of LMS =[

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

        The safety score is 6 don't stress

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

        Every week*

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

      As a McCarthy owner and Jimmy bencher ,that hurt.

    • Party time
        4 years, 3 months ago

        JIMÉNEZ Get IN

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

        Gah save some shots McC

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

        Wilson is such a donkey. What a miss

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

        Get a goal please Villa

      • supperspout
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        nice one jimmy

      • Regin
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        I benched guaita for pope but can't blame myself

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

          You can blame yourself for having rotating keepers

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

          I flipped him for McCarthy for -4

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

          You should, i blame you

      • Niho992
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Any chance for Villa to score?

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

        Crystal Palace. The eternal enigma.

      • Cantona's Kung Fu Kick
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        PLS hold on Palace I need the CS

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

          Guaita..?

          Me too!

          1. Cantona's Kung Fu Kick
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Yes, he's keeper, had to play him

      • Babelcopter
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Jammy Jimmy! WE FEAST!

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

          Brace??

        2. Party time
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Scrumptious

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

          No! Benched Jimi for Cantwell. You better score Cantwell..

        4. Drop Dead Tsimikas
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Dunk and Cantwell saving my day so far. FFS.

        5. Wilshere Knowledge
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Don't block that Bernardo 9 pointer Mahrez!

        6. Party time
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Some dunskies did Jimmy to Ings this week 😆

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

              sadface

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

            Only a KdB goal can save this awful lot.. I'd be happier than Pep for a KdB goal

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

            Big Lund volley just over

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

              Dammit

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

            Redmond crossbar

          • HurriKane
            • 11 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Jimenezzzzzzz yesssss

          • Balls of Steel
            • 8 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Have Man City forgotten how to score!!!

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

              Consistency Epidemy in Manchester.

          • Hybrid.power
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Lmao. Jimmy to Ings

            1. Jack Burton
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 8 Years
              4 years, 3 months ago

              Same and benched Traore

          • Chandler Bing
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Who takes pens for Brighton?

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

              Maupay

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

              Maupay possibly.

          • tm245
            • 12 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Robinson on, Lundtsram off

          • Fred54
            • 9 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Jiminez's first return in 4 GWs, not fussed.