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

    Played Cancelo and Chilwell, Coufal and Mitchel on the bench, what a pratt!

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

      At least you played the fun picks over the boring ones.

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

      Naw dogg

      You played the right angles. Cancelo made chances and had chances. If a little luck- he could have been a 20 pointer today

      Chilwell can’t be benched for what you pay and the freedom he is given, and the talent around him

      Mitchell was a surprise starter, he may not start next GW

      Coufal was on the road vs Everton and he plays for Wet Spam, of course you sit him

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

        Cheers mate made me feel a bit better lol

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

        Well put

  2. Messiah Hazard
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    How to get in KDB?

    Meisler Steer
    Cancelo R. Dias Justin Holding Mitchell
    Salah Son Bruno Soucek Saka
    Bamford Kane Watkins

    The only way I see is to lose one of Kane or Son. Have exact money in bank to do Son to KDB. But Son faces SHU in GW19. So doubting myself.

    1. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Don't? Though swapping for Son for exact money is tempting. De Bruyne has Brighton.

    2. Pep bites Kun
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Salah to KDB is the obvious move for 18. Keep for 19 or switch back

  3. NejiHyuuga01
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Who is likely to be less rotated out of those ( only for the next couple of GWs) ?

    A) Bailly
    B) Shaw
    C) Stones

    1. NejiHyuuga01
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      or if you like: ''less likely to be rotated''

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

      Shaw

  4. Baines on Toast...
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Why is everyone making GW19 plans when they don't even know their cup opponents?

    1. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Because it doesn't matter? Not in the cup, so admittedly biased.

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

      Never play for the Cup, that’s suicide and sabotage to your team

      The cup is a crazy roulette- I made 11 rounds 2 years ago without even knowing I was in it

      Then last year, eliminated by a 3M ranked player who loved Haller and Zaha on one crazy weekend

    3. Pep bites Kun
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Peeps have ml's to consider - what's to be won from the cup?

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

      Who cares about the cup? Straws grasping st straws.

  5. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Somebody on Twitter has Cancelo, Diaz and Justin and also has Mahrez who's late sub on has blocked Soucek's bench points! So harsh.

  6. Fridges chilwell
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    DGW dilemma.

    A. Son, Robertson > de bruyne stones -4
    B. Salah > de bruyne
    C. Go with no city

    C scares me I have to admit

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

      Other