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. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    PVA punters in tears

    1. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Mitchell benchers also in tears

      1. teneighty
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        As a Mitchell starter I will be in tears when he's replace in the 59th.

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

    FULHAM TEAM NEWS
    Team to play Crystal Palace: Areola, Aina, Robinson, Adarabioyo, Ream, Anguissa, Cairney, Lemina, Lookman, Loftus-Cheek, Mitrovic.
    Subs: Rodak, Odoi, Decordova-Reid, Le Marchand, Reed, Bryan, Kamara.

    CRYSTAL PALACE TEAM NEWS
    Team to play Fulham: Guaita, Mitchell, Clyne, Dann, Kouyate, Milivojevic, Riedewald, Townsend, Schlupp, Zaha, Batshuayi.
    Subs: Henderson, Meyer, Sakho, Benteke, Eze, Kelly, Van Aanholt.

    1. Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Mitchell 🙁

    2. Blue&White85
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Really surprised Mitchell is still playing.

    3. Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Zaha off pen

    4. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      When did Clyne sign? Wtf

      1. Tasty Jerk
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Last week. He has come home 🙂

    5. Zilla
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Mitchel!!

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

    Ffs Mitchell starts please concede

    1. Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      thissss

    2. Mambino
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Pipe down Tony, you're still banned for 2 games

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

        🙁

  4. denial
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Inevitable Mitchell clean sheet to come.

  5. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    That's a bit of luck. Dallas coming in for ward.

    1. SpaceCadet
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Same. Ward benched or not in the team?

      1. DA Minnion (Former great)
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Doesn't seem to be in squad.

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

    Cancelo's passes are so bad

  7. Ze_Austin
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Mili playing. Zaha off pens

  8. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Ffs thought Mitchell would get benched

    1. Paul Psychic Octopus
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      not everyone thought that - he's been playing really well.

      1. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Didn’t mean ffs as in fantasy football scout!!

        1. Paul Psychic Octopus
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          I know! Great double-entendre initialism though.

      2. Tasty Jerk
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Exactly. Top tackles won in the league.

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

    Shocking yarmolenko

  10. Right In The Stanchion
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Mitrovic get a brace. You can do it

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

    Mitchell bench points incoming for me now after bringing in a Villa defender this week.

  12. Paul Psychic Octopus
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Bizarre though it is, in the Sun Dream Team game, Yarmolenko is one of the top 6 points scoring midfielders. As is Mata.

  13. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Miloli stealing Zahas only goal threat... My season is over

  14. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Let's go Mitchell!

  15. el polako
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    I'm pretty sure I've seen Foden in Asda car park last night, altough he wasnt wearing City kit instead he opted for llonsdale tracksuit and argos jewellery. Wanted to ask him for photo but it looked like they were having a party playing tunes from 15 years Vauxhall Corsa with tinned windows and "go faster stickers" all over it.

  16. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    And Zaha reverts back to 0 shots per game

  17. GOATMEAT
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Sterling, you are so spoiled... no effort

  18. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    KDB on for walker

  19. Silecro
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    ffs, Ward not in the team, already counted on his cs vs fulham...now Chilwell coming from the bench for inevitable 1 pointer

    1. beric
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I wouldve started chilwell

      1. Silecro
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        i was on 50/50 but due to chelsea defence im most certain united will score and fulham is awful in attack, so that was my logic..but okay, not a bad substitute to have anyways

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

    Very good defending from Haller

  21. Tasty Jerk
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Don't get why people thought Mitchel would not start? Top tackles won in the league so far and PVA only just made bench and not fully match fit yet.

    1. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Same I thought Mitchell is relatively nailed now with PVA moving into the LW

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

      And also PVA will play on the wing instead of Schlupp

  22. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Starting to think Cancelo is the City player to own

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

      Um no

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        He looks awesome

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

          So that makes him a FPL prospect and top city option at that?

          Give your head a shake

          1. Big boy Bowen
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 5 months ago

            Why not

    2. Old Bull
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      You could be right.

  23. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Sterlingoal eta?

    1. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      88 random tap in from a rebound

    2. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      84 mins

    3. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      5 weeks and 2 hours

    4. All Hail K
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Flight cancelled

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

    Will Gundogan or Kevin score this?

  25. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    LOL

  26. Jensen Luiz Coleman
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Haller and Yarmolenko what an impressive attacking force.

  27. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Sterling kicked up the hole.

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

    Wow first time I saw someone lying down to defend a free kick.

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

      To stop them going under the wall when it jumps.

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

    Mitchell will get subbed at 59mins for PVA and lose his CS. Scenes.

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

      I really hope

      1. Duke Silver ☑
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        ... not. Finished that for ya.

  30. Planet Jo
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Forget to ask our friend Graham Scott to make sure he gives Mitro lots of penalties today.

    1. Tinkermania
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      You will get -3 for each miss.

      1. Planet Jo
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        How did you know I am a Miss?