Team News

Mané in contention as managers deliver post-deadline press conferences

Jurgen Klopp confirmed on Friday that James Milner (£5.3m) and Sadio Mané (£12.2m) are in contention to return for Saturday’s clash at Carrow Road.

Such news may be of frustration to Fantasy Premier League managers who had to make a decision about the Senegalese international prior to last Saturday’s Gameweek 26.

Takumi Minamino (£6.4m), Divock Origi (£5.2m) and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (£6.2m) have all had a stint on the left flank while Mané has been sidelined he will surely return to the starting XI if fully fit, although there is the small matter of a Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid 72 hours after the encounter in East Anglia.

GET FULL TEAM NEWS AND PREDICTED LINE-UPS HERE

Minutes could well be managed as a result, although a two-week breather before the meeting with Daniel Farke’s side should ensure that there is little issue with fatigue.

Norwich centre-back Ben Godfrey (£4.4m) will return from suspension ahead of the visit of Liverpool, leaving Timm Klose (£4.3m) as the only confirmed absentee for the match against the runaway league leaders.

Godfrey is by no means a certainty to regain his place alongside Christoph Zimmermann (£4.4m), though, with Grant Hanley (£4.0m) having performed ably in his stead of late.

The fit-again Emiliano Buendia (£6.0m) will be pushing for a recall on the right flank after being overlooked in Gameweek 25, with Farke having hinted before the goalless draw with Newcastle that the Argentine winger hadn’t perhaps quite been at full fitness after his recent thigh injury.

Lukas Rupp (£4.5m) could make way, then, but the positive nature of the display at St. James Park – chance conversion again letting the Canaries down – could see changes few and far between elsewhere.

After a two-week winter break and with a six-day breather to follow after their meeting with Leicester, there is little reason for Wolves to be at anything other than full strength when the Foxes visit Molineux on Friday – injuries permitting, of course.

Ruben Vinagre (£4.2m) won’t feature at the King Power Stadium but Adama Traoré (£5.8m), who was in the wars against Manchester United, was passed fit by Nuno Espirito Santo in the Wolves manager’s pre-match presser, with the rest of the squad also available at the time of writing.

The fit-again Willy Boly (£4.7m) and Diogo Jota (£6.1m) were back in the starting XI in Manchester, with Leander Dendoncker (£4.4m) and Pedro Neto (£5.0m) making way. Boly capable of operating on either side of the defence, Dendoncker could still get a reprieve at the expense of Romain Saïss (£4.4m).

Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers said on Wednesday that Wilfred Ndidi (£5.0m) “probably is going to be doubtful” to face Wolves on Friday, so Hamza Choudhury (£4.3m) could continue to deputise in central midfield given that Nampalys Mendy (£4.3m) is still sidelined.

Youri Tielemans (£6.2m) has seemingly regained his place from Dennis Praet (£5.3m) in the middle of the park and two assists against Frank Lampard’s side will do his chances of another start no harm, while the superlative form of Harvey Barnes (£6.0m) ought to see the young winger as good as nailed on the left flank. Ayoze Pérez (£6.2m) is perhaps less secure on the right wing but still caught the eye at times against Chelsea and has now started six league games in a row.

Ryan Bennett (£4.8m) is ineligible to face his parent club while Jamie Vardy (£9.8m) came through a 79-minute run-out in Gameweek 25 seemingly unscathed, so there don’t seem to be any serious lingering effects from his recent glute injury and a fortnight’s breather may have helped him regain full match-fitness.

James Ward-Prowse (£5.8m) was stretchered off with a knee injury against Spurs last week but was subsequently only deemed to have suffered a bad cut, with Ralph Hasenhüttl expressing hope that his ever-present midfielder would be fit enough to return against Burnley in Gameweek 26.

The Southampton boss talked in terms of Ward-Prowse playing back in his usual “number six” role if he does recover so Kyle Walker-Peters (£4.4m) or Yan Valery (£4.6m) may get the nod at right-back (where Ward-Prowse had been deputising) for this weekend’s game.

Hasenhüttl didn’t consider Walker-Peters for the trip to Anfield as he needed to learn about the finer details of the Saints’ system but a two-week winter break has given him ample opportunity to do just that, so the Spurs loanee could very well be handed a start in what is otherwise a settled back four.

Ashley Barnes (£6.1m) and Johann Berg Gudmundsson (£5.9m) will miss Burnley’s trip to Southampton, while Matt Lowton (£4.2m) and Charlie Taylor (£4.2m) will both be assessed before Saturday’s game, with the left-back looking more likely to recover given his manager’s comments on Thursday. Phil Bardsley (£4.3m) and Erik Pieters (£4.3m) will both be on standby to deputise should the first-choice full-backs fail to recover.

Aston Villa’s long-term absentees John McGinn (£5.4m), Jed Steer (£4.3m), Tom Heaton (£4.4m) and Wesley (£5.5m) will remain sidelined for the visit of Spurs but we are in the dark regarding the availability of Danny Drinkwater (£4.4m).

The former Leicester midfielder missed the 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth but could very well threaten the midfield pairing of Douglas Luiz (£4.4m) and Marvelous Nakamba (£4.4m) if passed fit given that Smith has shown a lot of faith in the Chelsea loanee since his arrival in the Midlands. Conor Hourihane (£5.7m) and Henri Lansbury (£4.4m) are further options in the middle of the park but look to have fallen down the pecking order in recent weeks and may only be among the substitutes at best this weekend.

Harry Kane (£10.8m), Juan Foyth (£4.8m) and Moussa Sissoko (£4.8m) are unavailable for Spurs as they travel to Aston Villa on Sunday, while Erik Lamela (£5.7m) will be assessed ahead of the game.

Giovani Lo Celso (£7.3m) and Ben Davies (£5.3m) are back in training, at least, and should be in contention to feature in the Midlands. Davies’ return perhaps puts Japhet Tanganga‘s (£4.1m) security of starts in some doubt given what Jose Mourinho had said previously about the importance of the Welshman to his system.

Tanganga could still continue as the two-in-one left-back/centre-half while Davies gets up to full speed, with Mourinho again declaring that Ryan Sessegnon (£5.4m) “is not a left-back” after his run-out in that position in the FA Cup fourth round against Southampton.

Sead Kolasinac (£5.2m), Bukayo Saka (£4.5m) and Reiss Nelson (£5.3m) were all passed fit by Arsenal on Friday, with Kolasinac potentially in line to displace Saka at left-back as he had done at the start of the calendar year.

Newcastle’s long-term absentees Jetro Willems (£4.5m), Paul Dummett (£4.4m) and Emil Krafth (£4.3m) won’t feature at the Emirates on Sunday, while Andy Carroll (£5.4m) and Jonjo Shelvey (£4.9m) aren’t yet ready for a return.

Dwight Gayle (£5.0m) and Yoshinori Muto (£5.1m) will be assessed after a return to training but will likely be among the substitutes at best as Joelinton (£5.5m), who picked up a rib injury in the win over Oxford United last week, was passed fit on Thursday.

New signings Valentino Lazaro (£5.5m), Nabil Bentaleb (£5.0m) and Danny Rose (£5.3m) also bolster Newcastle’s squad depth, with Bentelab having already made two competitive starts for the Magpies.

Rose, ineligible to face Oxford in the FA Cup, could very well be handed his first Newcastle start in London at the expense of Matt Ritchie (£5.3m), who is a possible option on the other side of the pitch given that DeAndre Yedlin (£4.4m) has failed to really impress of late.

It remains to be seen if Bruce sees Lazaro more as a wing-back or a winger, meanwhile, with the right-sided Austrian another alternative to Yedlin if it’s the former.

Tammy Abraham (£7.7m) is still feeling the effects of a recent ankle injury according to Frank Lampard, who said in his latest press conference that the player has had to be pulled out of training a few times over the Winter Break but managed a full session on Friday. As things stand, he will have to be assessed over the weekend ahead of the visit of Manchester United on Monday night.

Christian Pulisic (£6.9m) and Ruben Loftus-Cheek (£6.3m) have both been ruled out of Gameweek 26 but are both approaching a return to full fitness.

GET FULL TEAM NEWS AND PREDICTED LINE-UPS HERE

547 Comments Post a Comment
  1. fplking14
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Well Aguero its been a love hate relationship with you over the years but thanks for the good memories and points.

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Hate?

    2. OverTinker
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      City fan here and I don't understand what do you mean by hate?

      1. fplking14
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Times when I've captained him and hes been benched or not started.

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

    Adama benched.

    1. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      oh shite

    2. Fpl Richie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Oh f off

    3. Wilshere Knowledge
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      ...

  3. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Come on JIMENEZ!

  4. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    ⚽ Team News 📰
    WOL: Patrício, Boly, Dendoncker, Coady, Doherty, Jonny, Saïss, Neves, Jota, Jiménez, Neto
    Subs: Ruddy, Buur, Kilman, Podence, Moutinho, Gibbs-White, Traoré

    LEI: Schmeichel, Pereira, Chilwell, Söyüncü, Evans, Tielemans, Barnes, Maddison, Choudhury, Pérez, Vardy
    Subs: Ward, Justin, Morgan, Praet, Gray, Albrighton, Iheanacho

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

      BOLY BOY!

    2. Pedram
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Come on Jimenez

    3. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      benched, oh damn

    4. Ze_Austin
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      And I started Trapre...

    5. tambourineman
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Is Ruddy Burr the weather forecast for this weekend

  5. Pedram
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Line up time

  6. Salarrivederci
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Let's go Maddison & Vardy!

    Bring me some points!

  7. Gizzachance
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Nice start to gw, troare benched !

    1. The Train Driver
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Gw started a week ago...

      1. Gizzachance
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        My bad
        Meant gw part two !

      2. HashAttack
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Did it? ... my -4 points suggest otherwise

  8. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Ready for a Valentines Vardy Party!

  9. pingissimus
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    I know net spend has its limitations as an indicator but prompted by news to check out who the big net spenders have been.

    Hugely amused to see Brighton as 4th highest net spenders in last 5 years.

  10. Coys96
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    This will be a strange watch. A.Traore in my starting xi and h.barnes first sub.

  11. Firminooooo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    NOOOOO TRAORE. My nighmare last night was correct.

    1. Stormbringer22
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Came here just to see if you would comment 😀 Read your post earlier. I am in the same boat - needed Traore to play... oh well

  12. Champ
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    YES! VARDY STARS!

    1. Champ
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      *starts

  13. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    3 City players nailed for my team next year now 🙂

    1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Exodus incoming.

      1. Woy of the Wovers
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Doesn’t that start with 10 plagues?

        And I think you meant to say “outgoing”

    2. jtreble
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Ummm, careful. City will probably still play in the CL next year.

  14. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Just catching up with the news. Wow

    Absolutely huge news. I'd imagine pep and many of the top players will leave. Maybe the owners too

    City basically have nothing to play for at all now in the league

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Still have to get through the appeal with CAS. City will put the best lawyers on it.

      1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        That's true but at this stage it looks bleak for them

      2. goriuanx
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Probably delayed by a season. FA and PL investigations still on going with City btw, so I think this sets the tone for what's to come.

      3. OrmskirkFC
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        *strongest lawyers, to carry the bags of cash.

      4. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Maybe a few bribes will work

  15. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Jota, Jimenez and Neto. Goodbye Leicester clean sheet.

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Doherty too

      1. Wılly
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        and Adama impact sub

  16. SADIO SANÉ
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    staring down the barrel of a big ol' red, 2221 so far and Traore benched...uh oh

  17. OrmskirkFC
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    5th place is like a trophy.

  18. Botman and Robben
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Traoré benched.

    1. Wılly
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      He won't stay there

  19. Jet5605
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Mass exodus at City coming including Pep.

  20. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Why aren’t City getting kicked out of this years competition? UEFA are gonna look stupid if they win it

    1. TIME TO VARTY
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yea would be funny

    2. Syd.
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Because they didn’t murder anyone

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

      Because that would make sense.

    4. jtreble
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Because of three letters: CAS. UEFA is in potentially big trouble.

  21. TIME TO VARTY
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    MAN CITY BANNED FROM EUROPE!
    Triple up next season for sure and Pep might be gone??

    1. lindeg
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      they will appeal and get a fine and be back next year

    2. potatoace
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      And half the squad no doubt.

    3. gooberman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yes will definitely have FF implications however I would still expect the same rotation issues especially if Pep is still there although I highly doubt he will be. His main aim has always been the champions league

  22. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Would make sense for City’s past trophies to be investigated now too.

    Puts a massive asterisk beside anything Pep has achieved in England.

    1. Baines on Toast...
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      No it doesn’t. This isn’t doping.

    2. Syd.
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Don’t be pathetic

      You are making an arse out of yourself

  23. Syd.
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    The reaction is hilarious on here

    City will be in the CL next year

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      They can challenge the call right ?

      1. jtreble
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        CAS.

        1. Amey
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Sorry.
          Didn't get that mate

          1. jtreble
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            The UEFA decision is subject to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

            1. Amey
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Okay.
              Thank you

    2. jtreble
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      🙂 Not the brightest lights on here sometimes.

      1. Syd.
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        You certainly fit that bill

        Posting on a empty head

        1. Syd.
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          *They

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

      True, rules don’t matter to the rich.

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Sadly, that's correct ...

    4. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Wipe those tears fella 😉

      1. Syd.
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Wasn’t Liverpool banned from Europe

        1. Supersonic Marv'
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          We at least had the deceny to take everyone down with us.

          1. Syd.
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            And Everton missed out on the European Cup

            1. Supersonic Marv'
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Yeah they were really thrilled with us about that if I recall correctly.

              1. Syd.
                • 14 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                They have never forgiven you

                1. Supersonic Marv'
                  • 7 Years
                  4 years, 1 month ago

                  Most of my cousins are Everton fans. I don't need reminding how much they hate Liverpool. It's quite scary to be fair.

            2. Crunchie
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              So did Palace (fan).

              Palace finished 3rd in 1991 and Liverpool 2nd, but UEFA lifted the ban on Liverpool a year early, as they had an extra year ban on anyone else.

              So Palace didn't go to Europe, lost Ian Wright to Arsenal who finished 1st, and the rest is history.

              Arsenal, European Cup; Liverpool UEFA Cup and that was it. Palace lost out despite qualifying.

  24. UTD - HATED, ADORED, BUT NE…
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Aguero’s in his twilight years - he’s not got time to waste waiting for City to grt back into Europe.

    Ole should swoop in the summer

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Would he get a start over Ighalo?

    2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Messi and kun playing under ole

    3. Woy of the Wovers
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Can he swoop? Doesn’t look to me like he’s the sort of manager who swoops?

  25. elchilangles
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    city should be getting kicked out of THIS YEAR'S contest and demoted down the leagues like Rangers did

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      😆

    2. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      What happened ??
      Have they been found out doing something wrong ? (Other than obvious ffp breach ?)
      Seriously asking*

      1. Rainer
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        The FFP stuff.

        Not been caught for anything else, yet.

        1. Amey
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Cheers buddy.
          Deserved it.

      2. elchilangles
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        they've been making a total mockery of FFP for years, it wont stop unless there are tough punitive measures

        1. Amey
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Agree
          Cheers.

        2. TIME TO VARTY
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Even if they win an appeal, surely will still miss 1 year instead of 2 and a heavy fine. Milan had the same last season I think

  26. Party time
      4 years, 1 month ago

      How can Nuno bench Traore. Mr Vardy teach that dunsky a lesson

      1. Rainer
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Injury.

        1. Party time
            4 years, 1 month ago

            He is fit to start. Maybe tactical but bullsht.Leicester to win this one

        2. Syd.
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Must still be carrying an injury

        3. Wılly
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Minor injury & Europa league

          1. Party time
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Yeah europa

        4. Big boy Bowen
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Vardy party CONFIRMED

          1. Amey
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            Need that my friend !

        5. lindeg
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          no way city wont be in the champions league, cas will give them a huge fine, and theyll be included

          1. Rainer
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            Of course but it’s nice to see that their years of cheating are being made public.

        6. BobbyDoesNotLook
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          I had a dream that Stephens got a red in a 50-50 tackle near the sideline. Let's see if I am similar dreamer than the Auba guy couple of weeks. Hope not as an owner 😀

          1. HashAttack
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            I hope not .. had AMN who got a RC in his second match for me, replaced with Aurier who got a RC straight away ... and bought it Stephens this week

        7. Naby K8a
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          What price will KDB be next season in this Liverpool side?

          1. lindeg
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            4.5