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

    City romping the league and doing it without KDB and Aguero. Just shows how poor the standard has been this season.

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

      And how good their squad is.

    2. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Pep deserves great credit. He has finally put together a very solid defence.

      1. Red Devil Swede
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        And it took some doing, did it not..

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

      not a very good take

  2. FER FUSCH AKE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Knew I shouldn't have benched Chilly.

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

    Azpi the Chelsea defender you need!

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

      Thanks waiting for forever for this statement after Alonso bench ... Probably Rudiger will just do fine anyway

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

    Alonso punters in shambles.

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      They were warned

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

        They were, plenty of Chelsea fans mentioned the likelihood of rotation. Very obvious, zero hindsight.

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

          But not much rotation. Mount, Rudiger, Jorginho seems to be nailed

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

      Would have been surprising if he’d played three games in a week after not having played since September.

    3. All Hail K
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Almost did that but was warned. A shout out to the folks on this site that warned us that Tuchel liked to tinker.

  5. SADIO SANÉ
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    which one of Raz, Gundog or Foden am I TC'ing next week?

    1. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      You have all 3? No DFer?

      Gundo (c)

      1. SADIO SANÉ
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        yeah, benched Foden this week though so 🙁

    2. Jet5605
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Knowing Pep he'll probably bench Foden for one.

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

    Ffs my differential Alonso benched

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

    Alonso trap catch many?

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

      Yep 🙁

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

      irbox lol

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

      114,305 players

    4. Party time
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Irbox found inside the trap

    5. jason_ni
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Had awb 4 pointer if chillwell no shows.. Guess I should be happy he starts?!

      1. Magic Zico
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Points aside, more exciting prospect to watch Sunday's football 😉

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

          Very true!

      2. TRIPOS TOPPER
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        if you aren't confident of Chillwell 6+ points vs SHU you shouldn't have him in your squad

    6. Jet5605
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Klopp said he was the Normal one. Looks like he was being generous.

      1. @persecuted_by_mods
          3 years, 1 month ago

          You've waited a long time to say that one haven't you

      2. Do I Not Like Orange
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Yes, kept & started Chilwell for exactly this reason. Bit of consolation after benching Gundo.

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

        Chilwell starts.

      4. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Soucek's zero. Salah on bench. Antonio C fail. Double City defense fail. Still 27K rank jump. What is this GW?

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

          I benched Salah as well as captaining Antonio, 20% rise as we speak!!
          Out the Cup though, opponent had Son (c)

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

        McBurnie starts - fantastic news for Chelsea defence owners!

      6. Naby K8a
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        They need me back. Last start we won 7 nil

      7. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        On a massive downward spiral these past couple of weeks, no idea what to do either.
        Hoping Soucek to Gundogan helps with it this week

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

          Same mate same. Everything has gone wrong after the GW20

          1. Big boy Bowen
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            It’s annoying because I feel like my team is in great shape too, I might be about to blow a 150-160 mini league lead too, they only have a few differentials but they keep bloody hauling!

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

        Liverpool need to shake the squad up with a big signing this summer I think.

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

          No that’s not what we need ; we need a bench with the depth of City. Our first team can beat anyone, where City have been smart is spending $30-50m or so on quality they can rely on.

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

            On the bench.

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

        Chilwell OOP

      10. squ1rrel
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Benched Watkins and Gundo because I'm an idiot

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

          For who??

          1. squ1rrel
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            let's not talk about it

        2. The Tinkerman
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Ouch

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

        Let's be honest if Pickford was in goal for Liverpool it would be 1-1

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

          Yup

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

        Apparently Klopp’s fault for Alison giving City two goals. Interesting.

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

          Yeah funny there are even comments about Klopp now

      13. Jones Town
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        So I've got Sterling and Dias... there's probably no point switching Sterling for a different City mid right? Just add Gundo or Foden for next week?

        1. Sid1891
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Definitely

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

            Ta

        2. thegaffer82
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Add Gundo

      14. pundit of punts
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Bielsa needs to give Bamford a rest

        He’s been playing non stop

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

          Too right Foden first on my bench

        2. thegaffer82
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          That would be awesome (DCL first on bench)

        3. Herman Toothrot
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Bamford and Ayling need a rest.

          DCL and Targett on my bench.

          Heck, call the game off

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

          Hahaha THIS

      15. GROBARI
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Is it smart to bring back Kane for next GW or to stay with DCL Bamford and Antonio?

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

        Foden punters well rewarded

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

        Liverpool go 69 home league games unbeaten and then lose 3 in a row. Just mental.

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

        Foden man of the match 🙂

        DGW

        Foden, Gundo, Dias??

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

          Gundo, Dias and then take your pick from Foden, Cancelo, Sterling

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

          Gundo Dias Stones
          All 3 nailed

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

        So turns out Gundogan was / is not a trap and is in fact the best value player in the game currently

        1. Shatner's Bassoon
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Reckon if he was more expensive he'd be taken more seriously

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

          I think most of us that had him as he racked the points up every week knew that lol

      20. Paqueta Rice
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Foden has been a breath of fresh air

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

        Lol at Alonso owners.

      22. Jet5605
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Who would have thought that Gundo is a serious TC contender.