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

    Crazy that I lose the same team value from holding KDB in the last few GWs (-0.3m) as those that have held Werner since GW1 (where ownership has gone from 2.84m to 0.98m).

    1. ivantys
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I lost 0.2 on Burke when his ownership more than doubled from GW1.

  2. Elly88 > KTR (Kevin The …
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    City set up so well. So this is what it felt for opponents to play against Mourinho's 2005 Chelsea when they conceded only 15 goals. Sigh...

  3. Lucky Z
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Any chance Dias grab 1 bonus?

    1. LC1
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Nope

  4. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    CHO goal

  5. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Clean sheets wiped

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

    CHO Goal

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

      Havertz assist

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

    Double City defence.

  8. Bavarian
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    85 pts , Salah and Robertson to go any better?

    1. LC1
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Lose any points through that goal?

      1. Bavarian
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        no 🙂

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

        Lol

  9. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Oh for god sake

  10. Forever In Our Shadow
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    FO chelsea

  11. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    What a balls haha

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

    CITY CS GONE 🙁

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

    Chelsea you can go and suck it!

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

      I take it back!

  14. Make United Great Again
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    NOOOOOOOOOOOO

  15. Begbie.
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    I don't think anyone loses clean sheets in stoppage time quite as much as I do.

  16. CheesyZoot
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Cleanie ruined for a meaningless goal... and I'm a Chelsea fan

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

    Ffs!!!!!

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

    Oh you are joking

  19. djman102
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Whew-radio announcer said Cancelo YC at first...was Silva instead.

  20. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    NO NO NO!!!

  21. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Really need some city defense.

  22. Debauchy
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Oops

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

    Goaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllll

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

    Ah that's heartbreaking

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

    Double Citu defence in tearsssss

  26. Forever In Our Shadow
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Ffs

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

    Yeeeeeeeeeeees!!!!

  28. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Ffs cant believe it

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

    had to happen

  30. Steve McCroskey
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Double City defense, that really smarts