Dugout Discussion

Gundogan fit to start as De Bruyne returns to City XI and Foden drops to bench

After missing out on Manchester City’s win over Everton in midweek, Ilkay Gundogan (£6.1m) has made a swift return from a groin injury and makes Pep Guardiola’s starting XI this afternoon.

Arsenal are the latest team attempting to stop City’s 17-game unbeaten run, with kick-off at the Emirates at 16:30 GMT.

Gundogan featured prominently in both the transfers in and out columns in the run-up to Gameweek 24: 365,022 Fantasy Premier League managers recruited the German after his huge haul against Spurs, with 244,409 of us moving the in-form midfielder on – no doubt influenced by the yellow flag that appeared next to his name following his no-show on Merseyside.

There is other noteworthy team news from the City camp, with Gundogan one of five players who are recalled.

Kevin De Bruyne (£11.8m) makes his first start in over a month, with John Stones (£5.2m), Oleksandr Zinchenko (£5.5m) and Fernandinho (£5.4m) also back in Guardiola’s line-up.

Phil Foden (£6.1m) drops to the bench despite scoring at Goodison Park, with Gabriel Jesus (£9.2m), Kyle Walker (£6.1m), Rodri (£5.3m) and Aymeric Laporte (£6.0m) also making way from the team that took to the pitch at kick-off on Wednesday.

Sergio Aguero (£10.3m), who has not played for City since the beginning of January, is also among the substitutes for the visitors.

Having named the same team in his last two competitive matches, Mikel Arteta also makes five changes to his starting XI.

Kieran Tierney (£5.2m), Rob Holding (£4.5m), Nicolas Pepe, Pablo Marí (£4.4m) and Mohamed Elneny (£4.2m) return, with Cedric Soares (£4.6m), David Luiz (£5.4m), Gabriel (£5.0m), Emile Smith Rowe (£4.3m) and Dani Ceballos (£4.7m) dropping to the bench.

LINE-UPS

Arsenal XI: Leno, Bellerin, Holding, Pablo Mari, Tierney, Elneny, Xhaka, Saka, Odegaard, Pepe, Aubameyang.

Man City XI: Ederson, Joao Cancelo, Dias, Stones, Zinchenko, Bernardo Silva, Fernandinho, Gundogan, Mahrez, De Bruyne, Sterling.

DOUBLE GAMEWEEK 25 SO FAR…

Gundogan fit to start as De Bruyne returns to City XI and Foden drops to bench 1

Second-place Leicester City warmed up for their Gameweek 26 double-header with a win over Aston Villa on Sunday, a match that was notable for injuries to two well-owned FPL midfielders.

Harvey Barnes (£6.8m) recorded his second successive double-digit haul with a goal and an assist in the Foxes’ victory, which took his total to 10 attacking returns in 11 Gameweeks.

James Maddison (£7.3m) is in similarly fine form and opened the scoring at Villa Park – his 12th goal or assist in his last 14 appearances.

But the England midfielder hobbled from the field of play just after the hour-mark, having twice needed treatment from the visitors’ physios.

Missing altogether was Jack Grealish (£7.7m), who was sidelined with a reported shin problem.

While some reports suggest the Villa talisman may be absent for several weeks, manager Dean Smith said he was “hopeful” of the player’s return against Leeds.

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1,652 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Mr. O'Connell
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Ah a United game. Time to make those red arrows even redder.

    1. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      You only got Bruno?

  2. Rupert The Horse
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    This week was the perfect week for me to go out of the cup. It would have been nice to go out to someone who’s far superior in rank and with an all round better team. So I was resigned to it.
    Thing is, I’m actually doing ok. Little things are beginning to add up. Like he has Cancelo with a yellow and I have Dias with 1 bap. His big boys Son and Salah blanked and I have Sterling. I also have an extra player to go in Wan Bissaka. So with a little luck, there’ll be a clean sheet tonight and I could just edge it.

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

      I wondered what happened to MC Neat

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

      Well done. My team went out last week on goals scored after looking a sure bet to go through. A Sterling yellow was critical.

      Numbers go down rapidly I think. From 3m to 40,000 now I think

      1. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Yeah I honestly thought that yellow knocked me out only to forget I had an auto sub for Antonio. So instead of losing by 1 point I went through by 1.

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

          That’s great. I wasn’t bothered about the cup at the start but now I’m really gutted to lose by such a small margin. Good luck going forward

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

    Newcastle are terrible. No way they score here. This is in no way an attempted jinx.

  4. @persecuted_by_mods
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Typical weak mentality de gea, gets fouled by two separate Newcastle players and barely complains

      1. @persecuted_by_mods
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Sorry replace barely for didn't complain or appeal at all

      2. DangerFC
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Who are the three must have city assets now?

        1. Belli2007
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Tricky question that

        2. DangerFC
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Ederson, dias and kdb? Gundo role might become more defensive with KDB back.

          1. St Pauli Walnuts
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            This is a myth, he was playing in a more attacking role prior to KDB injury and he was the false 9 yesterday. Gundo is not being played as a holding midfielder, the double pivot days are gone.

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

        Next GW
        A Soucek > Barnes -4
        B play Raphinia

        Cheers

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

          Take the hit in the double gameweek

      4. elchilangles
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        chances of Mbappe and Haaland being in the premiership next year????

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

          2%

      5. jdp219
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Ugh. Can only weather one price rise or fall to do this transfer:
        Grealish, Ings > Barnes, Kane (-4)

        Why do Spurs have to play midweek?! Maybe Kane not in the roster again?

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

        Worth doing this?

        Pope + Dallas + Raphinha > Johnstone + Targett + Barnes(-4)

        To leave this team which I'd then BB:

        Martinez Johnstone
        Dias Stones Digne AWB Targett
        Salah Bruno Son Gundo Barnes
        Watkins DCL Bamford

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

          Totally, imo.

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

            Cheers. Was worried about not having Kane but Spurs look average at best.

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

        Ffs, every time you sit down to watch United and own their players they look like absolute garbage

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

        Traore worth a punt for next week (for Raph). I should’ve put Son in my WC and now it means carving the team up

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

          In my thoughts

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

            Cheers. Trying not to panic after dubious WC. Think this might work out

      9. S3
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Wildcard A or B??

        A
        Martinez Sanchez
        Cancelo Shaw Perreira Rudiger Aina
        Salah Bruno Gundo Salah Foden
        DCL Kane Watkins

        B
        Martinez Areola
        Stones Cancelo Shaw Perreira Burn
        Salah Bruno Gundo Salah Son
        DCL Watkins Ings

        Option B has Ings in because of DGW 27 but will be benched in 26

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

          You know that you cant play WC and BB in same GW?

          1. S3
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            Planning to BB in the next few GWs

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

        Martial is utter rubbish

        Anyone disagree ?

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

          Crickets

        2. St Pauli Walnuts
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Lateriser

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

        Best move here?

        A Antonio Ings Son -> Kane DCL Barnes -8
        B Antonio Ings -> Kane Watkins -4

        Martinez
        Cancelo Stones Shaw
        Salah Bruno Gundogan Son Raph
        Ings Bamford

        Pope Antonio Coufal Dallas

        1. S3
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          You don't want to keep Ings for 27?.... I would keep Son for the spurs cover. Spurs games are not as easy as it seems.I will just get DCL in. I think he can perform as well as Kane over those 2 games and also because he has potential DGW in 28

      12. Old Bull
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Took a bit of stick for having Cancelo on here earlier. At least he nabbed a CS.

      13. Super John McGinn-
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Digne over Pereira?

        1. S3
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          No