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. Bobadoba
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    For double gameweek:

    Gundogan or Soucek?

    1. dshv
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Soucek

    2. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Soucek

  2. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    El Ghazi or Gundogan?

    1. Saka Punch
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Gundo

  3. dshv
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Is it too early to free hit and make a squad for gw18

    1. Pukki Party
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      I'm making transfers but not activating. Possibly will change plans and use WC.

  4. jam
    • 15 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Was going to save FH but looking at City, I think I need cover.

    What's with all the non playing 'transfers in' this week?
    Cresswell, Soucek, Bamford, Dallas...

    1. _Ninja_
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      People on WC getting them for gw19.

  5. Saka Punch
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    For DGW19, would would you bench:

    A) Stones (CRY AV)
    B) Rodrigo (BRI SOU)
    C) Grealish (EVE mci)

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Grealish

    2. Marcin the Pole
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Probably Rodrigo. Not using BB?

      1. Saka Punch
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Unfortunately not as they'd be my only bench player

  6. Flair
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Cool, now I have to shoehorn Vardy Bruno KDB Salah and make a decent BB squad while I'm at it. May as well FH19

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Vardy too?

      1. Flair
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Faces Southampton and Chelsea, why not?

    2. Amey
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      I'm also thinking about getting KDB now 😛

      1. Flair
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Haha!

    3. Jack Burton
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Thats what I'm doing i think

  7. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Anyone here have no back up keeper for McCarthy?

    1. Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      *no starting back up

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

      Loads.

      My ML leader has Fabianski with McCarthy as backup 😮

    3. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Moi, held off transferring McCarthy out so rolled the FT, quite frustrating to be down to 10

    4. Royal5
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Yup had pope starting

    5. OverTinker
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      ML leader has Mendy (hoping for another city goal)

    6. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      It’s only 2-3 points anyway

  8. Tripleh123
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Going foward who would you rather have with DGW 19 in mind?

    A) Vardy+Son
    B) Kane+Maddison

    1. Sid1891
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      A

    2. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      A

  9. SuperDan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Stones or Dallas?

    1. Saka Punch
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Stones I think

    2. thehodge
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Dallas. Stones rotation risk

  10. Royal5
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Does that mean Mcarthy out for gw19 as well?

    1. Rainer
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Should be back.

    2. Marcin the Pole
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Surely be back by then? It's about two weeks away.

      1. Royal5
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Yh hope so.

    3. Van der Faart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Its 13 days away, not sure how long they have to isolate for but he may be back.

  11. Niho992
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Lampard proving again he is fraud.
    Which excuses are now for him losing every game when everyone is fit?

    1. Simon69
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Championship manager aye

  12. BenDavies
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    https://twitter.com/AdamBlackmore/status/1345784497414037507

    McCarthy confirmed to miss tomorrow's game. He has contracted Covid-19.

  13. OverTinker
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Laporte not even on the bench??

    1. Rainer
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Might be a Covid case. Out of favour anyway.

      1. OverTinker
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        hard to believe that he is out of favor

      2. Royal5
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Injured

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

      Injured

    3. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Hammy

  14. Firminooooo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Need a meeeeega haul from Salah(C), Mane and Robertson. On 31 points.

    1. Royal5
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      No McCarthy should help

  15. Rupert The Horse
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Did anyone else just notice that utterly savage jaw dropping nutmeg from Chelsea’s no 10?
    Commentator didn’t pick up on it.

    1. Simon69
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Probably didn't bother at 3 down

    2. Booked4Dissent
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Nevllie did at half time

      1. Booked4Dissent
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Should get extra BPS for nutmegs

      2. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        It just happened now

      3. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        I think you’re talking about a City player

  16. Party time
      3 years, 10 months ago

      That kdb drop in price was essential

      1. WVA
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        He's dropped a few times while I've had him

        1. Party time
            3 years, 10 months ago

            Yeah.
            I sold this gw for Son but it is easier to bring him back with the price drop before a possible price rise. I love this game

      2. Duke Silver ☑
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Waste from Foden, the cut back was on for KdB there.

        1. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Absolutely and it was the obvious ball to play..........its the reason why Pep dont trust him

      3. S.Kuqi
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Kdb + 2 city defs still way to go?

        1. Duke Silver ☑
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          That's most likely what I'm doing. Going to have sacrifice Robbo though if I'm getting Dias and Cancelo.

          1. S.Kuqi
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            3 years, 10 months ago

            Just played with my team. There is no way to fit two Manc attacking player to field even half decent defence for dgw

        2. Van der Faart
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          KDB Gundo and defender for me

      4. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        The German soldado is going to cost frank his job

        1. Simon69
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Reckon Frank is doing that himself.

        2. Pukki Party
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Soldado is the best thing that has happened to Spurs right? Was so bad they had to play Harry Kane

      5. TRIPOS TOPPER
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        `Chilwell owners keeping?

        I'm thinking Robbo is worth the extra

        the occasional assist and lack of CS seem poor value to me

        1. Marcin the Pole
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          I don't own, but if I did I'd be looking to move him on yes.

        2. Sid1891
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Selling to Justin or Dias

      6. WVA
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Foden out bapping Kevin

      7. Sun Jihai
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        @OfficialFPL 3m

        SCOUT: Kevin De Bruyne is now available at his cheapest price (£11.6m) since GW10

        His next six matches all register three or below on the Fixture Difficulty Rating

        #FPL #CHEMCI

        1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Great insight by them

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

          🙂

        3. Hazz
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          3 blanks incoming.

      8. Steve McCroskey
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Lol at all the absolute bunfight that has just begun with managers to shoehorn 3 City players into their DGW plans

      9. Niho992
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Please miss tommorow game Che !

        1. Philosopher's Stones
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Heard he wasn't seen in training today.

      10. g40steve
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Kanté YC

      11. Bram
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Time for a KDB assisted Stones goal ..........

      12. Thomas Shelby from Birmingh…
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Marcos Alonso a better player than current team on the pitch

      13. Rainer
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Kante out of Fulham.

        AFZA essential!

      14. fedolefan
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Kev brah, no need to stop. Let's go for more.

      15. Jebiga
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Forster owner

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

          Waiting for our 1 point haul brother.