Dugout Discussion

De Bruyne, Foden on Man City bench as Aguero starts

Kevin de Bruyne (£11.5m) is back in the Manchester City fold after missing out through injury in Gameweek 5.

The Belgium star was also sidelined for City’s 3-1 win against Porto on Wednesday night but returned to training the following day.

Aymeric Laporte (£6.0m) was also pictured back on the training pitches, though is not part of Pep Guardiola’s matchday 18. Nathan Aké (£5.5m) also misses out for the Citizens.

Joining KDB on the bench is Phil Foden (£6.6m), who fails to earn a place in the starting XI despite only being used as a substitute in the Champions League. Raheem Sterling (£11.6m) captains the side.

Sergio Aguero (£10.4m), who netted a penalty in that Porto clash, starts for the third consecutive game in all competitions.

On the striker, Guardiola explained in his pre-Champions League press conference:

Having Sergio on the pitch, we are better, we are safer. We missed him a lot in important moments in the later part of the season. Now it is good news for us that he is back.

The important thing is that Sergio comes back in good physical condition, starts to get his rhythm, doesn’t get more injuries and and plays good.

At his pre-West Ham news conference, Guardiola said of his other senior striker Gabriel Jesus (£9.3m):

He’s getting better but a tough injury. Hopefully still he couldn’t train with us.

He will be ready when he does train because he gets the form quickly but maybe one week, two weeks before that [happens].

On new centre-back Ruben Dias (£5.5m), the City boss added:

He settled good. He came from Benfica fully fit. He still needs time to get some situations, some ideas, some rhythm and process we need. He’s open minded.

In Laporte’s absence, Dias is partnered by Eric Garcia (£4.8m) at centre-back while Riyad Mahrez (£8.4m) keeps his place from the XI that beat Arsenal 1-0 in Gameweek 5.

Joao Cancelo (£5.4m) looks set to operate at left-back in a 4-3-3 system, though Guardiola’s set-up against the Gunners saw the full-back tuck into midfield for large portions of the game.

While the City manager has named an unchanged XI from the Porto tie – his first time doing so since October 2017 – there are two changes from that win over the Gunners with Garcia and Ilkay Gundogan (£5.4m) replacing Aké and Foden.

On his line-up, Guardiola told BT Sport:

It is what it is. For the teams who play in Europe and international competitions, the schedule is tight with a lot of games. It happened last season, so with the covid situation we have to adapt.

We didn’t have much preparation and we have to get it during the game. That’s why today is another opportunity to improve what we’ve improved the last games and get up to the table.

We decide to continue with the same guys to get the rhythm as quick as possible for some players.

Yeah, he’s important [De Bruyne]. Aymeric is close too and Nathan as well so it’s important players come back.

David Moyes names an unchanged West Ham XI for the third straight gameweek, with the Hammers fresh off a thrilling 3-3 comeback draw against Spurs in GW5.

Michail Antonio (£6.3m) Tomas Soucek (£4.9m) Aaron Cresswell (£5.0m) and Arthur Masuaku (£4.5m) are among the names that FPL bosses will be eyeing up ahead of fixture turn for the Hammers in Gameweek 8.

On new signing Saïd Benrahma (£6.0m), who does not make the matchday squad, Moyes explained on Friday:

He needs to get up to speed with what we want and where we are at so it has given me the opportunity to take a bit more time with him.

But I have said the same before with the boys from the Championship, I am not in any rush to put them in. I like to give them the opportunities at the right time.

I will take my time with him, bring him on when he is ready and get him in a good condition to start to then play well when he does.

West Ham United XI (3-4-3): Fabianski; Cresswell, Ogbonna, Balbuena; Masuaku, Rice, Soucek, Coufal; Fornals, Antonio, Bowen.

Manchester City XI (4-3-3): Ederson; Cancelo, Garcia, Dias, Walker; Bernardo, Rodri, Gundogan; Sterling, Aguero, Mahrez.

1,445 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Old Man
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    My team is rocketing up now with Foden's 1 point. In the wasteland of mediocrity that is my team I'll happily scraps that are thrown down.

    1. Ron_Swanson
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Lol

    2. Shark Team
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Right on time old man

    3. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      *accept the scraps

    4. The Train Driver
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Timing

    5. ClassiX
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      That aged well

      1. Jarnathan
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        great minds

        1. ClassiX
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          🙂

    6. Jarnathan
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      That aged well

    7. sully29
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Timing

    8. afcblegend
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      your gratitude to the gods has been rewarded

  2. FPL Blow-In
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Foden goal

  3. Yankee Toffee
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    What if someone transferred in that Leeds lad and Kun for a hit....

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

    YEAHHHH Foden!

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Heck yes.

  5. The Train Driver
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Cancel very attacking

  6. Bruce Lee
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    shake your bum shake your bum shake your bum

  7. ElliotJHP
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Get in Foden!

  8. Debauchy
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Get in Fodes

  9. Puntillimon
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    FODEN

  10. Meinhoff
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    YESSSS FODEEEN

  11. FER FUSCH AKE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    FODEEEEEEEEEEEEENNNN!!!!!!

  12. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Thank you foden 🙂

  13. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Wohhoooo Foden!!!

  14. GAMBIT
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    The Stockport Iniesta strikes

  15. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Aw F off Foden

  16. Gizzachance
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Antonio off

  17. Keep Calm and Play On
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Foden you beauty!

  18. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Foden on 5 mins and outscoring everyone else?

    Nice to see.

  19. ivantys
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Antonio hamstring

  20. Babelcopter
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    FODEN!!! WC SUCCES!!!!

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Not really?

      1. Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Why not? He’s scored and should start next match

        1. Maddamotha
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Against Marseille?

  21. The Train Driver
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    That was a weird sub...

  22. The Mandalorian
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Foderrrrr

  23. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Well.... Podence to Foden could be nice

    1. MagicMessi
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Yea it would be nice if you did it last week tho

  24. Springbank
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    That’s the fitness issue that plays with in my mind for benching Antonio over Soucek...
    Or so I like to tell myself !

  25. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Pep knows!

  26. Old Man
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    You are joking - are you really telling me that my man has scored? I'm welling up.

    1. fish&chips
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Haha

  27. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Foden the new Aguero?

  28. Botman and Robben
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Aguero robbed.

  29. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Foden nay sayers stand up.

  30. BenDavies
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    FODEEENN YESSSS