Dugout Discussion

Jota and Firmino both start as Jesus returns for Man City’s clash with Liverpool

The Premier League winners and runners-up in each of the last two seasons clash at the Etihad this afternoon.

Manchester City v Liverpool gets underway at 16:30 GMT.

Debate has raged this week over whether Diogo Jota (£6.4m) or Roberto Firmino (£9.2m) would get the nod to join Mohamed Salah (£12.4m) and Sadio Mane (£12.0m) in the Liverpool attack but, in the end, both players start for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Barring any curveball formation choices, the Reds’ boss seems to have opted for a similar 4-2-3-1 set-up that he trialled in the Gameweek 6 win over Sheffield United.

Klopp has made two changes from last Saturday’s win over West Ham, with Jota replacing Curtis Jones (£4.4m) in one of those alterations.

Joel Matip (£5.4m) is in for Nat Phillips (£4.0m) at centre-half in the other.

Pep Guardiola has also made a brace of changes from Gameweek 7.

Gabriel Jesus (£9.3m) is back to lead the line, with the Brazilian making his first Premier League appearance since the opening weekend of the season.

Ilkay Gundogan (£5.4m) also returns to the heart of the City midfield, with Riyad Mahrez (£8.3m) and Bernardo Silva (£7.4m) making way.

There is again no place in the hosts’ starting XI for Phil Foden (£6.6m), who hasn’t started a league match since Gameweek 5.

It’s not often that we can say that the majority of City assets are differentials in FPL but that is the case at present, with Kevin De Bruyne (£11.5m) the only member of Guardiola’s squad who boasts a double-digit ownership.

They are even less popular within the top 10k, with Kyle Walker (£6.1m) – who sits in 8.15% of these squads – the most-selected option.

Salah is by some distance the most-owned player in this fixture, both within the top 10k (65.34%) and overall (46.9%).


Manchester City XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo, Gundogan, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Torres, Sterling, Jesus.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Gomez, Robertson, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Jota, Firmino, Mané, Salah.

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1,570 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    This game could go either way, no idea who wins it. Preferably Liverpool for my acca though

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

      I have Salah anytime, Jesus anytime, 3+ corners each and Rodri yellow. Bit disappointed with the corners

      1. Pep bites Kun
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Not surprised - 3+ corners each is a stretch - what odds?

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

          30/1

          1. Pep bites Kun
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            Nice if it comes through - BOL!

  2. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    I am sold by Cancelo.

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

      Same.

    2. Clintymints
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yea looks to have nailed that lb spot. Mendy never fit. Had a howler last game and Zinch not even close to either of their level

  3. DAZZ
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Jesus absolute sitter cancelo A

  4. TorresMagic™
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Cancelo lovely pass.

  5. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Bobby is terrible. Wastes Robbo assist too

    1. Clintymints
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Looks well down on his confidence

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

        2 years of poor confidence?

        1. Clintymints
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Sure

  6. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Shaq attack

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

    Does Salah ever miss a penalty?

  8. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Wtf shaqiri is still at pool?

  9. Babelcopter
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Robertson -> Cancelo no brainer

    1. Don Kloppeone
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Exactly this.

  10. Clintymints
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Shaq looks pretty intense and slightly confused

  11. Cok3y5murf
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Sterling been stinking up my team for weeks.

    1. Mighty Wings
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Same here

    2. Pep bites Kun
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yi! - who transferred him in? Who made the decision each gw to hold? Sterling/Pep problem or is it between your seat & keyboard?

  12. Ze_Austin
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Walker lmao

  13. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Firmino off

  14. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Bobby out, Jota is nailed on

  15. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Bobby fail

  16. Don Kloppeone
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Need to stop letting my loyalties and/ or promise of what players ‘should’ be doing hinder my FPL choices!

    Held Robbo “for one more” and decided I had to play him at his price.... over KWP who’s sitting pretty on the bench with his 9 points. Luvvly jubbly!

  17. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Firmino is such a strange player

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

      Bad is the word you are looking for.

  18. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Stonewall penalty

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

      Haha never a pen

  19. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Wow, Firmino is finished

  20. Traction Engine Foot
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Firmino has been rubbish

  21. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Bobby off before Jota, interesting

  22. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Sterling yc

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

    Sterling yellow

  24. DAZZ
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Really pains me to see Bobby struggle as a Liverpool fan

    1. George Sillett
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Not a Pool fan but I do like Firmino as a player. So unselfish. Hope he gets his confidence back.

  25. Hattrick Harry
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Sterling good commitment but yc

  26. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Razz YC

  27. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    TAA down

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

    Trent down

  29. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Trent down

  30. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Trent broke