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.

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

    Should’ve listened to you guys telling me to bench Gundo for Watkins

    1. JONALDINHO
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Mate I started him over DCL

      1. Ode
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Ouch. I would’ve done that too though if I had him

      2. Marcin the Pole
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Me too. Him and Soucek over DCL ffs.

    2. Pat Bonner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Lol

  2. JONALDINHO
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    May I ask why that pen wasn’t given?

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

      Ball moving at 200 miles an hour.

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

        I don't know why this really made me laugh.

      2. JONALDINHO
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Doesn’t make a difference how slow the ball travels. We all know it would be given if it was United. Don’t deny that

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

          I do love Liverpool fans when things don't go their way 😀

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

            Please don't tar us all with the same brush. A vocal minority give us a bad name I'll admit.

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

              Fair statement.

              *I do love a select minority of Liverpool fans when things don't go their way. 😀

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

                Thank you.

          2. Make United Great Again
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            Jokers

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

      Not United

    3. mezza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Foot onto hand

    4. Ozzy smith
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Seriously? Lol

    5. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Not in the box for a start.

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

      Because it wasn't a pen.

    7. TomSaints
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Not in the box, hand natural position and proximity

    8. Zladan
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Ball to hand and outside the box.

      Why are Liverpool fans like this?

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

        Not all of us thank you.

      2. JONALDINHO
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        So then it’s a free?

        1. Zladan
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Perhaps you missed the first bit. It was ball to hand.

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

        Ball to hand isn’t relevant any more. Why are you commenting on not knowing rules?

        1. Zladan
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          It is. They have removed the rule where any contact of the hand/arm is a foul.

          Why are you commenting when not knowing the rules?

    9. Leonard hatred
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      its not jsut BAPS, all of EPL is fixed to control who wins the extremely valuable FPL top prize (or cash alternative no greater than £400).

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

    Was Gundo a trap after all?

    1. Gunners in Haaland
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Trap if you get him now

  4. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Gundo has been a nightmare pick, all I’ve got from him is a captain fail and a pen miss. Useless

    1. Alexis Nonsense
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Behind the curve then

      1. Bubz
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Raphinha was doing the business for me

        1. Botman and Robben
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Get him back for 25.

    2. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Same here.

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

    Can sterling do anything except dive onto the floor and tap in at the back post?

    1. JONALDINHO
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Run with the ball 2 metres before tapping it to someone else

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

      Not really otherwise he would have had a shot rather than dive

    3. Differentiator
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      never a dive

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

        He played to go down rather than shoot.

    4. LSK
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yes. He can blast over at the back post too.

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

      That freekick a couple of weeks ago was pretty nice...

    6. Max City
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      running

    7. HuttonDressedasLahm
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Run like a velociraptor

  6. sminkypinky
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Started Gundo before DCL BECAUSE he had pens...

    It is what it is.

    1. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Well, he did get a pen.

  7. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I will take this sheeter of a week of it means the DGW goes gloriously.

    It won't though.

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

      could be a double sheeter

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

        Double Gamesheet

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

          Had a stinky DGS

  8. lugs
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    benched Gundo for Kane, that worked better than expected 🙂

  9. mezza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Salah pen miss needed now

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

      Really wouldn't surprise me

  10. Chucky
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Gundo and Soucek owners stunned

    1. teneighty
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Stunned and punished!

    2. HuttonDressedasLahm
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Add Sterling to that

  11. JJO
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Soucek and Gundo first 11
    DCL 1st on bench
    Dier not playing
    Is someone fking with me or what?

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

      It's happening to most of us mate. Youre too experienced to let it affect you. Grin and bear it, I'm having too. Our time will come.

      1. JJO
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Its just a bit of moaning until nezt gw starts mate 🙂

  12. Saka Rice
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    What a gameweek. Wrong captain choice, benched DCL, finally played Soucek in starting squad and got a red and now Gundogan penalty miss.

    1. Johnjo
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Exact same. Plus I also transferred in Pope, played him and benched Martinez., 🙁

  13. Mr. Chimes
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Gundo will come off at half to stick the knife in

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

    Mane diving all over the place

  15. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Gundogan got his bad games out the way now. Time to get him in for the DGWs.

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

      Or he’s had his good games and back to being shite again

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

    City problem is most of their pens they are already 3-0 up so when it’s a clutch pen they brick it and miss

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Ederson should be on them. Why not? Guy is meant to be the best penalty taker in the squad.

  17. TheBiffas
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Antonio ~ DCL? 2 FT and bit much else to do.

    1. TheBiffas
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Not*

  18. JustPark
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Too much foreplay. Not much of penetrations. Just go dive in!!

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

      Sl*t

  19. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Screw Gundogan and screw Soucek

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

    Mane everywhere
    Salah nowhere

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

      Robbo support vs TAA

  21. George Sillett
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Amazing how some appear think that they are so unlucky . Suck it up .

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

      Its all luck ...

    2. JustPark
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Give them a break. Covid does things to people.

      1. George Sillett
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Nothing to do with Covid - it's always the same.

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

      It’s just swings and roundabouts, souceck stupid red card and gundo skies a penalty, it is just bad luck but it comes around, no point getting angry about it

    4. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A very large portion of this game is luck, in fairness.

      A nonsense red card for example. & Gundogan suddenly being unable to even hit the target anymore

    5. the_duke
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      We cant control the outcome of what actually happens on the pitch.

      If you have soucek, gundo no bad decisions, just unlucky.

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

      You can calculate how 'lucky' you've been this season

      https://fplreview.com/season-review/

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

      Surely the entire purpose of this forum on match days is to discuss and react to the matches, no?

      Good or bad. Celebrating or commiserating.

      1. George Sillett
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Just read some of it.

  22. ⭐ ABHISHEK - THE CURIOUS …
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    That Zichenko on free kick just sleeping is it even allowed ?

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

      Every team is doing it

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

    I actually thought Sterling dived for the pen.

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

      Technically he played to go down. Still think its a pen but his intent was clear.

      1. BobbyDoesNotLook
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        This. Hate him for that habit but cannot blame him for that.

  24. Babit1967
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Benched Gundo phew

  25. Sif
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Hard to be smug for benching Gundo when Grealish got me two points.

    1. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      That's a haul!

  26. Rolls-Royce
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who gonna take the penalty next for City?

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

      Aguero

    2. HuttonDressedasLahm
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Might as well be me

    3. aleksaa2
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Ederson

    4. mezza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bernardo would be my bet

    5. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Ederson

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

        imagine the bandwagon if it was

  27. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    As a Sterling and Gundogan owner having a bad week, that was the most predictable miss ever!!

    1. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Hard luck.

  28. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    At least I'll get DCL on from 2nd sub as Dier and Soucek were no-shows.

    1. Max City
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Ha ha

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

      Unlucky

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

    Well, I have 1 more point than before the match started. That's a positive I guess.

  30. tbos83
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Am so over this gw