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

    Almost Burke goal lol

    1. jammie26
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Should have scored.

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

      3 consecutive top of the page posts. I want a prize

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

    Where is Pulisic?

    Was thinking of a 1 week punt this week before WC

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

    New article 🙂

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

    Ok guys, I really need some help with my team please

    Currently, I have Stones, Dias and Cancelo..

    Would you rearrange the team to bring in Gundo?

    I have 2FTs so rearranging won’t cost too much

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

      cancelo -> mee
      ??? -> gungo

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

        peobably need to give us more to go on that those 3 players, tbh.

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

    Fun fact: Burke and Werner previously played together at RB Leipzig!

  6. Van der Faart
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Fairwell Salah. You have served me terribly

  7. Warby84
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Would you double down -4 with Trent/De Gea to Mee/Pope... Or just do Trent to Mee and play Martinez?

    No free transfer..

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

    Sheffield Utd pen

    Offside?

  9. Ruudy Van
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Hi All Any recommendations ? 1FT 7.7ITB

    Pope (Martinez)
    Targett Coufal Dias Stones (dier)
    Salah Bruno Gundo (Soucek, Burke)
    Bamford Antonio DCL

    Thinking Dier to Lowton and bench Coufal?

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

    antonio -> DCL free?