Dugout Discussion

Mane, Fabinho and Alisson return for Liverpool as Guardiola benches Jesus

The most-anticipated Premier League fixture of the weekend, and perhaps the calendar year so far, sees reigning champions Liverpool take on current league leaders Manchester City.

Kick-off at Anfield is at 16:30 GMT.

A win for City would take them ten points clear of Jurgen Klopp’s side, with the blue half of Manchester also having a game in hand to play on top of that.

Klopp has brought back three of his big guns from illness and injury for this fixture, with Sadio Mane, Alisson and Fabinho returning to the starting XI.

Fabinho will be deployed alongside Jordan Henderson at centre-half, with the Liverpool boss resisting the urge to hand a first start to new recruits Ozan Kabak or Ben Davies – the latter of whom doesn’t even make the matchday squad.

Along with the three returning players above, Curtis Jones is recalled to the hosts’ line-up.

Xherdan Shaqiri, James Milner, Nat Phillips and Caoimhin Kelleher are the men to make way.

Guardiola has made two changes to his City line-up as Oleksandr Zinchenko and Phil Foden start in place of the benched Aymeric Laporte and Gabriel Jesus.

The form book points to City in this fixture, with the visitors on a nine-match winning run in the top flight.

Guardiola’s troops have recorded 11 shut-outs in their last 13 matches, too.

Liverpool have won only two of their last eight Premier League games, meanwhile, with many of their key FPL assets in poor form.

Andrew Robertson is on his longest barren run without an attacking return since his debut season at Anfield, while Mohamed Salah – who is still the division’s top goalscorer, lest we forget – hasn’t found the net on Merseyside since Gameweek 13.


Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Henderson, Robertson, Thiago, Wijnaldum, Jones, Salah, Firmino, Mane.

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Joao Cancelo, Stones, Dias, Zinchenko, Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Gundogan, Mahrez, Sterling, Foden.

GET IN-GAME DATA AT LIVE FPL

Check your own rank and in-play FPL stats on LiveFPL.net every Gameweek

2,350 Comments Post a Comment
  1. el polako
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Sterling is generally shite at football, only thing that saves him is perfect timing of runs into the box & across the goal.

    1. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Tap in merchant

    2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Can’t remember many times he’s beaten his man

      Not great for a wide player

    3. Cilly Bonnolly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Luckily for him he’s one of the best in the world at timing those runs and getting into those positions.

  2. OneDennisBergkamp
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    is it me or have commentators got absolutely boring :zzz:

    1. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      The game is horrific to be fair

  3. Cantona's Kung Fu Kick
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    this has 0-0 written all over it zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    1. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I sincerely hope not!

    2. Grounderz
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yes, it’s what I’m hoping for.

    3. Scots Gooner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yep, disappointed I started Salah over Stones already

  4. CRO KLOPP
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    This is Like Juventus vs Milan in the late '90s

  5. Pep Roulette
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Another 0-0?

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

      Always

  6. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    C'mon Sterling! Do something!

  7. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    This is boring

    Liverpool morphing into Jose spurs

    1. Bushwhacker
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Are you seriously this clueless?

  8. Cilly Bonnolly
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Gundogan okay after that early Thiago tackle?

    1. Pep Roulette
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yes looks fine

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

      Totally it was nothing ; got him booked, job done

  9. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Baps for dias and my bench could be hitting 30. Team not reached that yet 🙁

    1. Cilly Bonnolly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Need a Liverpool goal. Dias second on my bench behind DCL.

      1. how now brown cow
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Same here. Justin 3rd

        1. Cilly Bonnolly
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Ooft.

    2. Custard Gannet
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I'll be lucky to scrape 30 at this rate.
      Gone from 70K to 140K

  10. Pep Roulette
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Sterling now at false 9 after horrific performance at left wing

  11. sunzip14
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    If no goal by 39' then no goal. If yes, result on 54' will be final. I come from future 🙂

  12. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Mane misses

    1. Pep Roulette
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Should've been in target

      1. Pep Roulette
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        on*

  13. Muchentuchel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    sitter missed

  14. TheDragon
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Already regretting benching Dias

    1. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Can’t stand with this kind of posts. You made a decision. Get in with it lad

  15. Cantona's Kung Fu Kick
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    THIS is what the PL is showing around the world?

  16. ivantys
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Dias and Stones benchers nowhere to hide?

  17. fedolefan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Come on Razeem, score a goal.

  18. 2999 - Lady of Legend
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Manè wasting TAA assist >(

  19. Samwise
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    love forgetting to save captain changes this week... Hopefully Cancelo can get a clean sheet

    1. Pep Roulette
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I wish I had forgotten doing so. Switched from Son to Antonio at last minute.

  20. WVA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Sterling diving
    Water is wet
    No punishment

  21. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Poor from Thiago

  22. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Mane gets away with one

    1. Here's Tom with the We…
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Needed him booked for part of my bet

  23. michaelington
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play Rudiger or take -4 to get Mee? Already have Pope

    1. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Rudiger

    2. 2999 - Lady of Legend
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Double Burnley defence the way to go next week

      1. Pep Roulette
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Not worth a hit

    3. Pep Roulette
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Rudi

  24. Bushwhacker
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Mahrez diving, low on confidence

  25. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    There really is nowhere to go.

    I mean all the pubs are shut and there's a Baltic strom blowing in from the North East.

  26. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    What was that Gundo?

  27. WVA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Why do Cancelo and Rodri have different surnames?

    1. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Strange question

      1. WVA
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Do you not think they look like twin's?

        1. La Roja
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          I think you’re tipsy

          1. WVA
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            Click on line ups and look at there pictures then lol

  28. Bushwhacker
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Ref stopping fast breaks. So biased.

    1. Supersonic Marv'
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Why would they be biased? What's the motive?

      1. Bushwhacker
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Could be on Mike Dean $$$

  29. DAZZ
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Man this is incredibly boring

    1. Bushwhacker
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      The game or the racist hate on Thiago?

  30. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bobby SOT