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. Nomar
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Karius, is that you?

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

    Gundo should HT

  3. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    GUNNDOGANNNNN BESTTTT PLAYER IN THE WORLDDDDDDDDD

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

    ilkay!!! almost missed again tho lol

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

    Come the season end, I think Gundo will be 6.5 at least. Next season this could be his starting price if not 7.0

    1. Gross Blank Point
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      He'll be 8.5, Grealish will be 9.

  6. Party time
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Gündoğan autosub for Martial

      Juuuuhuuuuuuu

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

        Pump up the jam!

        1. Party time
            3 years, 1 month ago

            πŸ˜†

        2. The Ilfordian
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Oh that’s a great feeling!

          1. Party time
              3 years, 1 month ago

              Yes buddy, it’s a sweet sensation

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

          Didn't know Karius was back at Pool...

          1. Isco Disco
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            HAHAHAHA

        4. @persecuted_by_mods
            3 years, 1 month ago

            That guy that punted on foden cap, what a call son. Take a bow big game player

            1. Random Name
              • 8 Years
              3 years, 1 month ago

              Outscored by Son

              1. @persecuted_by_mods
                  3 years, 1 month ago

                  Is he though

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

              Gundo (C) for the DGW then

              1. Sandy Ravage
                • 8 Years
                3 years, 1 month ago

                Locked

            3. Ajax Hamsterdam
              • 9 Years
              3 years, 1 month ago

              Shocking goalkeeping

            4. Hulk Smash
              • 8 Years
              3 years, 1 month ago

              Gundogoal

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

              Benching DCL for Gundo worked out then.

            6. OverTinker
              • 5 Years
              3 years, 1 month ago

              What a sensational 'Trap' Gundogaan has been - Loving it πŸ˜€

            7. ClassiX
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 5 Years
              3 years, 1 month ago

              Gundo trying very hard to miss that one. He must have Robbo and TAA in his FPL team.

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

              Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!

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

              Never trust a footballer who needs leg warmers.

            10. Champions League Varane
              • 5 Years
              3 years, 1 month ago

              Goodnight to my rank

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

                Gundonight*

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

              GundoGod

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

              Get in my team Gundo!

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

              Gundo's basically a Soucek+KDB role combined now.

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

              Gundogan could be a genuine TC option next week. Can’t see him benched against two tough opponents and as we can see he can score against anyone.

              1. Milk, 1 Šuker
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 11 Years
                3 years, 1 month ago

                TC is pushing it a bit mate

            15. Sun Jihai
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 12 Years
              3 years, 1 month ago

              Gundo just about outscoring DCL now!

            16. Milk, 1 Šuker
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 11 Years
              3 years, 1 month ago

              Comfortable 3 baps for Gundo now surely

            17. _Ninja_
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 13 Years
              3 years, 1 month ago

              sterling goal

              allison drunk

            18. Isco Disco
              • 6 Years
              3 years, 1 month ago

              Glad Gundo missed that penalty. Or else he wouldn't be so fired up in the 2nd half to score 2 goals

            19. MoSalad
              • 10 Years
              3 years, 1 month ago

              Allison has had a mare

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

              Cancelo needs a G. And Salah brace? Let’s get greedy

            21. Gobigorgohome
              • 12 Years
              3 years, 1 month ago

              STERRRRLINGGGGGGGGGGGG

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

              Allison πŸ˜†

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

              Lovely Sterling.