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. Babelcopter
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Aguero essential. Vardy -> Aguero

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

      I'm selling for Mane

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

      Wait till Vardy's hattrick tomorrow first.

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

    oh my I had zaha 7 weeks, finally bench him vs city and he scores. Get lost

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

      Did he?

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

      OG

  3. MagicMessi
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    King Kun
    No Mahrez or KDB or Sterling points too Sweet 🙁

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

    Zaha or Fernandinho OG or both?

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

      OG

      Great Zaha run & A.

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

      O g

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

    Kun would be proud of that finish.

  6. SAY MY NAME
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    bloomin heck, mahrez came on to block my jimenez bench points, 13 points down the drain, grrr

    1. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Benching Jiminez, WTF!

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

      Surely had somebody else to bench rather than Jimi vs Southampton?

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

      Why would you bench Jimenez ahead of a brace?

      1. SAY MY NAME
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        good question, what Rushford said

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

      Benched him too because of Cantwell’s plum fixture and wolves’ poor form. This game kills me

      1. SAY MY NAME
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        this!

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

      Don't understand y Jimenez benched. If u don't want him, sell him.

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

    wanted to downgrade Jimmy to fund mane in.

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

    Bit of a wanky experience owning Soton assets so far

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

      It is Soton afterall

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

    KDB winner coming.

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

      Plzzzzz

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

        You support Liverpool?

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

      No chance. Out of time

    3. MagicMessi
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      No sorry lad

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

    Awful gameweek. Kdb captain. Sold Adama and Jimenez. Can't win.

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

    Did Wilson shot on target today?

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

      Think so. His first since October apparently

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

      Missed the ball today

  12. Flynny
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Kun will face major rotation when champs league restarts shortly.....

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

      Indeed, sooner the better, can’t stand him

  13. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Title race over

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

      Surely is

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

      Wasn't it over in October?

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

      Was there one?

    4. Yank Revolution
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Dial up?

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

    Despite aguero brace, I will not buy him now. Tough fixtures, too costly, rotation risk. Though this week my rank will drop

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

    Ings will never score again. Heard it here first.

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

      Thanks for the info

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

      He will shatter his glass limbs before he scores another goal

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

    KDB range

  17. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    KDB FREEKICK TIME

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

      Assist?

  18. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    F’d it up again
    Used transfer to sell Rashford for Firmino to avoid .1 loss
    Means Grealish is benched

  19. Party time
      4 years, 3 months ago

      OMG Alot of people are confessing their sins here

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

      Zabalata YC

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

        😆

    • Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Fffff Mahrez took fk fffss

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

        Don'tttttt worrrrrryyyy

    • Yank Revolution
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Kun goal only raised Top 10 k avg 1 point...CALM DOWN PEOPLE!

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

        Not everyone is in top10 k

        1. Yank Revolution
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Im nowhere near it either, but its the benchmark everyone should use.

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

      Ah Kevin just take it mate

    • Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Guaita could have been killed!

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

      A goal from Southampton & Bournemouth to make it draws all-around.

    • HashAttack
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      16 - 0 - 40 - 26 ... thank you Aguero, saving my season

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

        Well played you got on it early and deserve that

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

        Kane injury save your season? Very lucky

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

          Nope - 22:40 on 27/12 - after his 13 minutes vs Wolves and Tammy's blank v Soton

    • SEXY SOLO SAUCE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Aguero
      Salah
      Mane
      KdB
      TAA
      Lundstram
      Vardy

      WC essentials sorted

      1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        yep all cheap

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

        Got budget for all those?

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

        Good luck funding that

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

          I can do that with 400K to spare - with Hendo, Willams, Sidibe, Dunk, Fleck, Cantwell and Greenwood

          1. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Yes my thinking

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

              Got them all in wc on Friday but rest of the team is looool

    • Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      F---- sheep capping KDB.

      Bah bah

    • The Fed
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Why did KDB play CB this game?

    • dshv
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Guys Help

      Jimenez and rico for DCL and VAN. DIJK ?????