Dugout Discussion

City players missing with COVID-19 revealed as fit-again Ziyech returns

A Manchester City squad hit by injury and illness take on Chelsea in the second of today’s two Premier League fixtures.

Kick-off at Stamford Bridge is at 16:30 GMT.

The visitors are missing six of their squad because of COVID-19 positive tests.

The unavailability of Kyle Walker (£6.1m) and Gabriel Jesus (£9.1m) we were already aware of, while social media posts from Ederson (£6.0m) and Tommy Doyle (£4.4m) all but confirmed that they too were among those self-isolating.

Ferran Torres (£6.9m) and Eric Garcia (£4.7m) have reportedly been added to that list, with the latter still struggling with injury, too.

Despite the shortage of options, Sergio Aguero (£10.3m) is still only among the substitutes for this afternoon’s fixture.

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen (£4.4m) makes his Premier League debut as Pep Guardiola makes three changes to the City side that beat Newcastle 2-0 in Gameweek 15.

Oleksandr Zinchenko (£5.5m) and Phil Foden (£6.2m) are also recalled, with Ederson, Torres and Nathan Ake (£5.4m) dropping out.

Ake is absent because of “fitness issues”, while Aymeric Laporte (£6.0m) misses out because of a tight hamstring.

Benjamin Mendy (£5.9m) is on the bench, despite his off-field misdeeds.

Frank Lampard makes five changes to the Chelsea team that drew 1-1 at home to Aston Villa last Monday.

Timo Werner (£9.2m) is recalled, while Hakim Ziyech (£8.1m) makes his first appearance since suffering a hamstring injury in early December.

Thiago Silva (£5.6m), Kurt Zouma (£5.8m) and Mateo Kovacic (£5.3m) also return to the side.

Reece James (£5.2m) is again absent through injury, while Olivier Giroud (£6.7m), Andreas Christensen (£4.7m), Antonio Rudiger (£4.7m), Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.7m) and Jorginho (£4.7m) drop out of the starting XI.


Chelsea XI: Mendy, Azpilicueta, Zouma, Thiago Silva, Chilwell, Kanté, Kovacic, Mount, Pulisic, Werner, Ziyech.

Manchester City XI: Steffen, Cancelo, Dias, Stones, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Foden, Bernardo, Sterling

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2,436 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    2-0 Foden G KdB A

  2. Ze_Austin
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Foden G

    KDB A

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

    We’ve all been owning the wrong city players haha.

    I’ll take the KDB assist though

  4. Peter Ouch
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    You hold kdb all season and when you finally get rid after the double Gameweek he will wake up

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

    Wow.

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

    Lampard out.

  7. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Mendy is trash

    1. moz_1983
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      TBF he was left completely exposed twice by his defence there.

    2. Plant Based FPLer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      It's got to be the Chelsea goalkeeping coaches. Both Kepa and Mendy being trash is unlikely.

      He needed to take another step toward his left post since Silva was closing down the angle, for sure.

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

    Embarrassing Chelsea.

  9. FFSbet.com
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    City hit form right on time for KDB (TC)

  10. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Congratulations to all Foden keepers

  11. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    KdB to Foden

  12. Cousin Greg
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    KGB assist Foden goal

  13. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    FODENNNNNN

  14. Right In The Stanchion
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Lol 0-2 Foden De Bruyne assist

  15. Thomas Shelby from Birmingh…
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Difficult to differentiate between Zinch and KDB

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

      They have some similarities

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

    Terrible defending

  17. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    LAMPARD OUTTTTT

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

      Nah

  18. JONALDINHO
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    I sold KDB to Mane for a hit. Nice

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

      I sold Mane for KDb, though.

  19. Pedram
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Chilwell Zouma owners in shambles

  20. pundit of punts
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Get in KDB

    just need a goal now

  21. Dannyb
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Grealish to Gundog done.

  22. TorresMagic™
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Imagine people saying Chelsea would win after a few minutes.
    They don't beat the top half.

  23. CloudSky
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Get Kepa back in.

  24. Plant Based FPLer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    How do I do this? Is it like this: "Yay, Chelsea clean sheet gone!" ? I'm not sure.

  25. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Amazing! Gundogan in for GW18/19 ... 😆

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

      He won't play Chelsea every week

      1. The Invincibles
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        He won't play every week.

  26. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Kepa saves that.

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

      Hahahah

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

      Kepa is COVID immune- he can’t catch it

  27. Tsparkes10
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    What a goal

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

    Foden Son-esque

  29. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    KDB ESSENTIALLL

  30. Thomas Shelby from Birmingh…
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Is that Kepa playing in Mendy suit?

    1. Iwantmorepointsthanks
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      lol