Dugout Discussion

Mahrez and Wilson benched as Guardiola opts for Torres over Aguero up front

The Premier League action on Boxing Day concludes with two matches that kick off simultaneously at 20:00 GMT.

Manchester City take on Newcastle United at the Etihad, while Everton are the visitors to Bramall Lane for a clash against Sheffield United.

After all the talk and worry over whether Pep Guardiola would roll out some seasonal rotation for tonight’s fixture, the City boss has made only one alteration from the starting XI that defeated Southampton in their last Premier League outing.

It’s an enforced one at that as Nathan Ake comes in to replace Kyle Walker, who has tested positive for coronavirus.

Gabriel Jesus also returned a positive COVID-19 test result ahead of this match and, like Walker, is currently self-isolating.

Sergio Aguero is again only among the substitutes, with Ferran Torres given the nod to lead the line for the hosts.

There are four changes for Newcastle from their 1-1 draw with Fulham, the most notable of which sees Callum Wilson benched.

Sean Longstaff, Jonjo Shelvey and Paul Dummett also make way from Steve Bruce’s line-up, with the latter two not in the matchday squad.

Matty Longstaff, Fabian Schar, Isaac Hayden and Jacob Murphy are the players handed recalls.

Bruce said of Wilson’s benching ahead of kick-off:

He has got a knock as well, so he’s not quite 100%. He’s played four games in 12 days, so it’s important to look after him a bit.

Over in South Yorkshire, there are two changes made by Chris Wilder from Gameweek 14.

John Lundstram is banned and John Fleck drops to the bench, with Oliver Burke and Ben Osborn handed starts.

That means that Rhian Brewster gets another run-out in attack for the visitors.

Carlo Ancelotti, who has promised rotation in the Gameweek 16 match against Manchester City, goes full strength at Bramall Lane – or at least, as full strength as he can amid the glut of injuries at the club.

His only change to the starting XI from last weekend is enforced, with Richarlison missing out with a concussion and replaced by Anthony Gordon out wide.

James Rodriguez remains out.


Sheffield United XI: Ramsdale, Basham, Egan, Robinson, Baldock, Osborn, Ampadu, Stevens, McGoldrick, Brewster, Burke.

Everton XI: Pickford, Holgate, Keane, Mina, Godfrey, Doucoure, Davies, Sigurdsson, Gordon, Iwobi, Calvert-Lewin.

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Cancelo, Dias, Stones, Ake, Gundogan, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Torres, Sterling.

Newcastle United XI: Darlow, Yedlin, Schar, Fernandez, Clark, Ritchie, Hayden, M Longstaff, Murphy, Almiron, Joelinton.

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2,017 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Bruce Lee
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Which keeper should I get in?

    A) Ramsdale
    B) Guaita

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

      Neither.

    2. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Pickford

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

      C. Non playing keeper

      1. Tonyawesome69
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        This

    4. TRIPOS TOPPER
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      better off with two wheelie bins

      One black for rubbish
      one blue for recycling

    5. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Wayne Shaw before those two.

  2. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Gundogan & Gilfi Get Goals

    1. FPL price manipulators are …
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Only needed Grealish to have triple G

      1. tiger
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        yeah that would have been nice

  3. Make United Great Again
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Cancelo owners fuming

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

      Why?

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

        Could've had 3 assists in this match.

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

    Cancelo is doomed like Ollie Watkins

    1. TheSteel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I have both

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

        Same here...could have been great great week.

    2. ThisTimeNxtYrRodney
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      That's cos I own them both.

    3. estheblessed
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I have Cancelo and a cleansheet is good enough for me

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

    Darlow is criminally underrated

  6. fedolefan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    KDB bruh, what are you up to?

  7. TheSteel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Kun donkey

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

      Ban!

  8. Camzy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    How tf has Cancelo not gotten an assist this game?

    1. Jdpz
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Because it was not assist!

      1. Camzy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Not talking about the Torres goal. Just in general. He's put in a million crosses from the right. Good ones too.

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

      I want to know that too

  9. French Gooner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Cancelo owners - sorry for you 🙁

  10. Tcheco
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Aguero looking thicc

    1. Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Looool

  11. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    KDB is on page three of mids selected by value

    Byeeee

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

      Same points as Neto who is 5.9m
      Worst value player in the game this season!

    2. Old Gregg
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Easy KDB > son for me

  12. jason_ni
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Horrible as a cancelo owner... how has he got no attacking return!?!

  13. BeWater
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    If I downgrade KDB to Raphinha it frees up enough cash for Brewster to Pele. Should probably do it.

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

    Come oooon Cancelo let me do some juuuuhuuuu

  15. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Let’s go Dwight gale wipe these annoying city CS

  16. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Any idea why Wilson hasn’t got any minutes?

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

      Knock/night off/game over.

    2. The 12th Man
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Still drifting in the Ocean.

      1. aborg
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Lol....Wilsonnnnnnn

    3. how now brown cow
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      What's the point? Game was given up before it started.

    4. TheSteel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Bruce mentioned resting him after cup match

  17. Party time
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Unbelievable blank from Kdb & DcL. Unbelievable

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

        Are you stunned?

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

        Absolute joke

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

      Need that Cancelo attacking return.

    • jimmyabs1987
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I don’t think Iv ever seen a player not get an assist with so many chances!

      1. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Grealish......

      2. jimmyabs1987
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        At least he has gone back to two BPS

      3. Londongeezaa
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Grealish comes close

      4. Forza
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        KDB vs Fulham

    • Flair
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Difficult to believe that KDB and DCL blanked in this fixture, wow

    • Dirty Harry
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      What to do with Grealish and KDB?

      1. Esalman
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Get Son and Rashford.

      2. The Mighty Hippo
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        I'm moving them to Bruno and Rashford.

      3. estheblessed
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Grealish keep KDB floggg

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

      Come on Cancelo make it 3BP

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

        3?!

        1. Tcheco
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          2 baps off at the moment

      2. jimmyabs1987
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Ding ding

    • My heart goes Salalalalah
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Which mid to get up to 8.6 with good dgw19?
      A) Rapinha (allows me Robbo/TAA for any of my defenders
      B) Barnes/Maddison (no LEI)
      C) Bowen (have Soucek and Coufal)
      D) Other suggestion please?

      1. moment
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        I'm less certain after today but I have Mount pencilled in... He should've had an assist today I guess...

        1. My heart goes Salalalalah
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Forgot Mount. My option A actually which I mentioned in all my previous posts. Thanks

    • Not again Shirley
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Chances of Mendy coming on?

    • moment
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      And I thought John Le Carre had just died: https://twitter.com/FPL_Fish/status/1342948843516780545?s=20

      1. tiger
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        The Fish has been caught with some tasty bait

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

      DCL can gtf

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

      Where is Mahrez

      1. Debauchy
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        hopefully staying seated

    • yalala
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Kun piling on the points...on the Greggs Rewards app

    • Tcheco
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Hooooooold double City clean sheet

    • shapply
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      ok, today is the day I'm gonna sell kdb, enough is enough

      1. BIG TONES
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Two weeks in a row he's not converted when through on goal, feel like points are just around the corner, but going to sell to get Son and Vardy in.

      2. Eh, just one more thing ...
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Yup. I’ve had it with him. Moving for Kane, just need to see who to bring into the midfield to replace Kevin .... -4 incoming.