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. Party time
      3 years, 2 months ago

      City defence owners absolutely nowhere to hide

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

        Do you not get tired trolling or is your aim to come across as chavy and unlikeable as your idol?

        1. Party time
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Pipe down

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

              Wind your neck in you little child.

              1. Fudgy
                • 4 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                Your idol is a massive chav too

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

                  For once Fudgy posts something true.

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

                    Unlike your posts then you melt. Is Mahrez breathing heavy from behind you now? Building up a sweat? Lmfao!

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

                  Come back when I have a name, avatar AND bio all dedicated to him.

              2. Party time
                  3 years, 2 months ago

                  Your mother got tired of raising you up properly

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

            Stones & Cancelo 🙁 cost me a top 5k rank

          • JOELIO8701
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            I agree. I transfered out Cancelo because Chelsea was always a tough game.

          • Flair
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            With 4 CS in the last 6, who's hiding 😉

            1. Party time
                3 years, 2 months ago

                Losing a clean sheet so late in the game must hurt. No denial

            2. Ozzy smith
              • 9 Years
              3 years, 2 months ago

              All city defenders are under 9.2% owned. Plenty of room to hide lol.

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

              Haha.

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

              I find you one of the most annoying posters during games. Between them you’re ok. Not during. Like at all.

              1. Party time
                  3 years, 2 months ago

                  😆

                  It’s for the fun. A good laugh wouldn’t hurt but some lads take it too personal 😆

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

                    So you get your kicks only when others fail? Joy in others misery. Sounds delightful.
                    Your spouse must be fed up.

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

                Im here. 73 with Salah and Mane to go! Cama!

                Thanks for asking!

            5. Milk, 1 Šuker
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 11 Years
              3 years, 2 months ago

              Oooh! Magnum P.I. back tonight!

            6. Esalman
              • 14 Years
              3 years, 2 months ago

              Need 16 points from Salah, Robertson and JWP to progress in cup after that goal.

              1. Esalman
                • 14 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                *KWP

            7. Top Lad Dakes.
              • 7 Years
              3 years, 2 months ago

              Ederson likely to be back for the BGW?

            8. Botman and Robben
              • 7 Years
              3 years, 2 months ago

              Salah and Che Adams left.

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

                Same, any Adams news?

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

                Same. Need 14 for the ton. Hoping they both play

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

                Same

            9. McSauce
              • 14 Years
              3 years, 2 months ago

              5 points and 50K places that Chelsea goal cost me

            10. Naby K8a
              • 8 Years
              3 years, 2 months ago

              Werner should go on loan to Southampton. They'll get the best out of him

              1. AlCapwnUK
                • 10 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                His season was so close to greatness.

            11. Digital-Real
              • 7 Years
              3 years, 2 months ago

              CHO never scores and has to score when i have a City defender.

            12. el polako
              • 6 Years
              3 years, 2 months ago

              Such fine margins in this game as a Dias and Justin could have been for great haul.

              Oh well at least patience with KDB paid off.

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

              Absolute sh1thouses who come here celebrating clean sheets getting wiped out.

              1. No Professionals
                • 6 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                It’s pathetic. Do it with your friends on your WhatsApp groups. Oh wait...

                1. @persecuted_by_mods
                    3 years, 2 months ago

                    I don't even do it there, I laugh at losing my own

                    Dias and Justin today good times

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

                  Unlucky mate, better luck next time.

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

                  Just ignore the posts

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

                  Some very sad people on this site

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

                    The site was brilliant a couple of years ago. The influx of absolute roasters that just want to troll people is sad. No wonder a lot of posters have effed off to twitter etc.

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

                      I miss the matchday chatroom days

                      FPL growing as a hobby past 20-50 year old Europeans killed this site

                    2. No Professionals
                      • 6 Years
                      3 years, 2 months ago

                      That and people who come and just post questions, don’t contribute anything.

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

                        This is so true. Really annoying.

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

                      Yup never remember there being so many trolling posts in previous years

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

                        There were always some, but the moderation was a lot better and average poster iq higher

                5. DAZZ
                  • 9 Years
                  3 years, 2 months ago

                  It’s funny. Some trolls here don’t have friends to wind up.

              2. Top Lad Dakes.
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                Zaha or ElGhazi for the BGW

              3. No Professionals
                • 6 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                What a kick in the nuts that was, 8 points wiped off in the last seconds.

                Also, at what point do we start talking about Werner as being an absolute flop? Guy looked useless. Seems to get a lot of grace from being a big name and good on fifa...

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

                  That's more on Lampard IMO. Sooner he goes the better for Chelsea.

                  1. No Professionals
                    • 6 Years
                    3 years, 2 months ago

                    Werner offers nothing

                  2. el polako
                    • 6 Years
                    3 years, 2 months ago

                    Long may he reign

              4. Mattious8
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 8 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                8 players next week. No transfers left.

                A) Play 8
                B) -4 to get to 9
                C) Free hit

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

                  C

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

                Zinchenko bloody idiot, i assume he doesnt own City defenders

                1. No Professionals
                  • 6 Years
                  3 years, 2 months ago

                  Not sure it was his fault. Whoever gave it away down the right was to blame.

                2. Mid budget coach
                  • 4 Years
                  3 years, 2 months ago

                  Zinch gave it away a couple of times when Odoi got in, Stones bailed him out. Bound to happen

              6. have you seen cyan
                • 4 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                Should I still stick with Sterling for 18 BB or just get KDB? How did Sterling look today? He is probably going to be my cap in 19 also

                1. have you seen cyan
                  • 4 Years
                  3 years, 2 months ago

                  Cap in 18, not 19

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

                  He looked like a man playing out of position.

                  1. have you seen cyan
                    • 4 Years
                    3 years, 2 months ago

                    :/

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

                  He's better on the left. Once Foden drops out, he will be good again.

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

                  Looked okay, much prefer KDB

              7. WE GO FOR IT
                • 8 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                Need TAA to come up big time to turn this from a good week to a great week!
                Dias lost CS hurts a lot.

              8. milanista10
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 11 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                Was seconds away from a century but that’s how harsh the game is..

                Glad with the decision to WC last GW to save the FH while being set for the BB in 19 & getting the City lads before others do!

                1. Bury94
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 6 Years
                  3 years, 2 months ago

                  Same, bit annoying but oh well

              9. FPL price manipulators are …
                • 10 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                Of course my cup opponent owns Havertz who assists in ruining my double City CS!

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

                Daniel - what's the result of your FPL Cup tiebreaker?

                Squeeze through?

              11. Releasebreaks
                • 6 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                City defender owners this must be painful.
                I also had Bellerin coming off 6 min to 60 and today Justin

              12. Botman and Robben
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                Cup opponent has 82 with Salah & McCarthy left. First and out for me. Lol.

              13. Weeb Kakashi
                • 8 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                66 with Salah to go. 1.9 M OR. Been there for ages now

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

                  64 with Salah to go here. Reasonably happy

              14. Alisson WondHaaland
                • 8 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                Am I the only one who can't afford most of the Free hit team suggestions posted on here? I dont own/ have no value tied into the key players for GW 18. Anyone have a draft for those with a lower TV?

                1. Pipermaru
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 9 Years
                  3 years, 2 months ago

                  Just take one budget pick instead of more expensive one, eg El-Ghazi not Grealish, Rashford not Fernandes etc, it might work in one GW.

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

                Was happy. Happy for a short minute. Benched Zouma, brought in Stones alongside Dias.
                I was happy for a second.
                Gonna go take it out on the family.

              16. The Head-Ake
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                1) Laca and Neto*
                2) Rashy and Brewster*

                * Is benched

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

                  Is this for a free hit? If so, why you benching Neto?

              17. GoonerGirl
                • 4 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                So upset with that Chelsea goal, was on course to beat my cup opponent, not going to now. So frustrating. Hate this game sometimes lol.

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

                My first cup tie coming down to
                Salah + 8 vs Mane 🙁 i thoght it was in the bag

              19. JJO
                • 11 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                Kdb lost 3rd bap with that goal too?

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

                  Foden GWG

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

                    Oh yes, good point.

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

                    Thought that is added during the game these days?

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

                      It is. Gundo had it till CHO scored.

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

                  He was off the pitch, wouldn't affect him.

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

                More BS from baps adjustments, no idea how Foden has jumped ahead when they both went off at the same time and KDB was 3 clear

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

                Soucek on the bench, Cancelo and Justin owner, chose Bellerin over Tierney in a 50/50. Rank now 7 figures... anyone worse off?