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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Lessons learned from FPL Gameweek 17

2,436 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Lampard after beating Newcastle in Nov
    "title is open this season"

    1. Waynoo
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      It is

      1. Digital-Real
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Had to be one!

        1. Simon69
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Open to Liverpool, City, Spurs or United winning it he meant

  2. Waynoo
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    *rips up FH TEAM

  3. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    You’re actually better off targeting the better opponents who won’t park the bus.
    It’s crazy the difference it makes

    1. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I target teams who have a fixture

      1. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Of course, but this season home fixtures vs dead teams is massively overrated so far - the bus defending ruins it, from a points perspective and also watching it

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

    Love seeing the Chelsea defence flop over recent GWs.

  5. COLLIN QUANER
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Just saw Lampard checking his FA coaching manual

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

    Power mid paying off so far. KDB Bruno Salah Son(C)

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

      Indeed amigo!

    2. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Yep

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

      I’ll be joining you GW18

    4. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Bruno Salah Son Kane also not bad this week!

    5. Shatner's Bassoon
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      With you there buddy. Can see myself going 4-5-1 a lot in next few weeks.

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

        I am on 3-4-3. Looking at 3-5-2 myself.

    6. Rhodes your boat
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Kane son kdb Bruno and salah (c) here

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

        When I grow up I want to be as rich as you.

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

        Defence must suck a little?

    7. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Those four and Kane here. Along with Soucek and Holding. Doing decently well

    8. Warby84
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Had last week but did DeBruyne/Brewster/Branthwaite out for a hit

      In came Soucek/Vardy/Holding

  7. Fudgy
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    I literally can't get kdb back either

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

      Go with cheaper defenders.

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

        I'm forced to take a hit now yeah

        1. Scholes Out For Summer
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          kinda your fault isnt it? Always bound to have needed KDB back eventually

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

            Nah wasn't my fault

    2. The Fantasy Doctor
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Always going to happen. KdB is awesome.

  8. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    FH 18 done deal, going without 3 city against Brighton will be suicidal?

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

      exactly

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

    ML leader has not owned Salah all season, has done no planning for DGW / BGW, has no care for team value

    And is going to get 90 points this week...

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

      That's why we love this game hahaha

    2. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Salah is not a must really, i went without him for 8 weeks and went from 1.1m to 400k

    3. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Probably a one off I imagine

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

    Who was the assister if Sterling haven’t missed it in the 3rd goal?

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Kevin

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

      Kdb

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

      kdb

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

    Link for Chelsea HT dressing room scenes?

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

        Best comment

  12. Sid1891
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Would you do Chilwell to Justin to free up funds?

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

    Nooo Gundo

  14. S.Kuqi
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Did Kdb -> Mane.

    Should have just do nothing...again

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

    It’s bad when Kante is being run ragged.

  16. CloudSky
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Is that Gundo or prime Maradona?

  17. ivantys
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Gundo robbed Sterling of a tap in

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

      He saved Sterling BPS.

  18. Tsparkes10
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Need 2 city for the dgw.

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

      Three.

      I'm thinking Gundo might even find a place...

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

        Gundo is interesting punt

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

      3

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

      2 is not enough

  19. Shark Team
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Guardiola turns his team into prime Barça just and only to sack Frank Lampard

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

    Power midfield of Salah KDB Bruno Son from GW19 >>>

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

    Chelsea shirt needs to say “6” today

    “3” is only half the story

  22. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Yeah Leicester won the game, but Andy Carroll won our hearts surely.

  23. The Frenchie
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Wildcard, what do you think guys?

    Meslier - Steer
    Stones - Dias - Holding - Chilwell - Creswell
    Salah - De Bruyne - Bruno - Maddison - Smith-Rowe
    Kane - Bamford - Brewster

    GW18:

    /
    Stones - Dias - Holding - /
    De Bruyne - Bruno - Smith-Rowe - /
    Kane - Brewster

    / - / - / - /

    DGW19: Kane out / Vardy in

    Meslier
    Stones - Dias - Chilwell - Cresswell
    De Bruyne - Salah - Bruno - Maddison
    Vardy - Bamford

    Steer - Holding - Smith-Rowe - Brewster

  24. boc610
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    giroud, chelsea's most in form striker on the bench. its obvious lampard has to play Werner . wouldnt say its quite the shevshenko situation but there has to be someone over his head politely telling him timo has to be given time to find form

  25. Waynoo
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Problem is we know Pep will rest half this side next GW

  26. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Vardy in DGW19 looks amazing

  27. Bobadoba
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    For double gameweek:

    Son and Grealish > Kdb and Soucek?

  28. TheDragon
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    KDB is going to outscore Son isn’t he - classic FPL

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

      Yep

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

    In meantime Lukaku scores 50 goals in 70 games for Inter. Former Chelsea striker though

    1. Simon69
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Slow buildup in Serie always going to suit him tbf

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

      Thanks to Mou: no Salah, no Lukaku, no KdB

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

      1000 year old Zlatan is among the top scorers atm. You kidding?

  30. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Robertson to Cancelo a good move?

    Have Stones.

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

      Hello naw

    2. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      No, Robbo top scoring defender