Dugout Discussion

Aguero, De Bruyne start for Man City as Sterling, Cancelo on bench for Double Gameweek 26 opener

Sergio Aguero (£10.3m) and Kevin De Bruyne (£11.8m) both start for Manchester City in their first Double Gameweek 26 fixture at home to West Ham.

Aguero makes his first appearance in a City starting XI since Gameweek 6 – in the reverse fixture against the Hammers – while De Bruyne made his full injury return by starting in the 1-0 win at Arsenal in Gameweek 25.

Ferran Torres (£6.9m) is another longer-term absentee making an injury comeback, which means a host of FPL assets find themselves on Pep Guardiola’s bench.

Raheem Sterling (£11.6m), Gabriel Jesus (£9.2m), Phil Foden (£6.1m) and Bernardo Silva (£7.4m) are all out of the XI, as is Joao Cancelo (£6.1m).

Rodri (£5.3m) is also on benchwarming duty as Fernandinho (£5.4m) earns a second consecutive league start, anchoring a midfield three also featuring De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan (£6.2m).

Aymeric Laporte (£6.0m) drops out of the starting line-up after beginning in the Champions League, as FPL managers’ favoured duo of Ruben Dias (£6.1m) and John Stones (£5.2m) are flanked in defence by Oleksandr Zinchenko (£5.5m) and Kyle Walker (£6.1m).

On his rotated side, Guardiola told BT Sport ahead of kick off:

Many games, we have two days recovery. We have a fantastic squad. Everyone deserves to play, all doing incredibly well, fresh legs and a very good mentality.

On West Ham, the Man City boss added:

Looks like they will play five at the back, previous seasons they did it as well, we knew it. They can do normal shape but they’ve done five at back at Old Trafford. The ideas are the same, good runners up front, two incredible holding midfielders. We try to impose our game.

Fabianski is absent for the Irons

Lukasz Fabianski (£5.0m) is the big name missing from West Ham’s starting line-up, with the Poland keeper ruled out due to a training-ground injury.

“Unfortunately one of the players just stood on Lukasz’s arm yesterday (in training). It’s swollen up, he’s just not been able to extend his arm. It’s a real blow, he’s been in really good form.” – David Moyes

Ireland international Darren Randolph (£4.3m) is between the sticks for the Hammers, behind a back five of Ben Johnson (£3.9m), Aaron Cresswell (£5.8m), Craig Dawson (£4.5m), Issa Diop (£4.3m) and Vladimir Coufal (£4.7m).

Declan Rice (£4.7m) and Tomas Soucek (£5.3m) will hope to add to the spoiling effect of Moyes’ five-man defence, behind a front three of Jesse Lingard (£5.9m), Pablo Fornals (£5.9m) and Michail Antonio (£6.5m).

Manchester City XI (4-3-3): Ederson; Zinchenko, Dias, Stones, Walker; Gundogan, Fernandinho, De Bruyne; Torres, Aguero, Mahrez.

West Ham United XI (5-2-2-1): Randolph; Johnson, Cresswell, Dawson, Diop, Coufal; Rice, Soucek; Fornals, Lingard; Antonio.

1,312 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Over Midwicket
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    KDB will be essential moving forward. Perma Captain.

    1. money face bandwagon
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      not exactly...he is too important for city to play every game since the league is more or less wrapped up

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

        It’s a while until that happens, not even in March yet lol

        1. money face bandwagon
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          even then his minutes might be managed esp in a dgw

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

          No it isn't in this case. It is already wrapped up and Cancelo for example is rested therefore today. They started to do better after KdB injury when Gundogan showed who he is.

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

            I very much doubt Pep thinks it’s in the bag.
            They walked away with it a few years ago and KdB still started virtually every game towards the end

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

      Best captain next GW?

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

      Ok there psychic

    4. MrZ
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Maybe after they fail in CL

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

    My rival captained Martinez.

    1. GinjaWhinja
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Considered it myself. Villa away have been airtight.

  3. R.C
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Professional watch please!

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

      This

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

      Rolex

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

    ML rivals TC Kane and I BB with just him captained. What do I want? A blank?

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

      You want your bench players to beat Kane’s DGW score

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

      You really think one extra Kane score will beat your BB score?

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

        Well if he hits 20 points over the double then quite possibly yes

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

          Which is only 3 returns plus bonus

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

            And a DGW BB should get?

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

              About 15-20 I suspect

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

      A no show

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

    Always good to get the least effective chip out the way first

  6. money face bandwagon
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    looks like i can do my annual kun(TC)

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

    I played Pep Roulette, I lost. Might yet be some random warm-up injury mind you... I have 21 players total this GW... down to 19 probably now...

    1. money face bandwagon
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      not sure except ederson and dias..which city players are going to play twice

    2. Cruyff's Eleven
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Sterling and Cancelo will be there, after 67 minutes...

  8. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    No mention of Foden in the article headline 🙁

    Je suis Phil....

    1. FPL price manipulators are …
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Phil Fodder

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

        😛 🙁

  9. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Guarantee Lateriser will already have transferred Kun in & captained him for next week

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

      *This week

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

    DGW26 'professional' watch in case anyone is interested:

    Fabio Borges: Ings to DCL, TC Salah
    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/entry/440328/event/26

    Magnus Carlsen: -8, Cavani + Bamford + Grealish to Kane + DCL + Gundogan, Salah (c)
    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/entry/76862/event/26

    Ville Ronka: WC played
    Areola, Stones, Targett, Keane, Son, Bruno, Salah, Gundogan, DCL, Watkins, Kane (c)
    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/entry/617620/event/26

    Jay Egersdorff: WC played
    Martinez, Adarabioyo, Dias, Cancelo, Son, Bruno, Salah, Gundogan, Barnes, DCL, Kane (c)
    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/entry/259780/event/26

    Mark Sutherns: -4, Ings + Tarkowski to Kane + Digne, TC Kane
    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/entry/194/event/26

    Lateriser: -8, Harrison + Ings + Burn to Barnes + DCL + AMN, BB played
    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/entry/55085/event/26

    Jan Sienkiewicz: -4, Soucek + Ings to KDB + DCL, KDB (c)
    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/entry/3904/event/26

    Darren Wiles: -4, Ings + Antonio to Watkins + DCL, TC Salah
    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/entry/1331101/event/26

    Stephen Harrap: Antonio to DCL, Salah (c)
    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/entry/1191/event/26

    Tom Stephenson: -4, Bamford + Grealish + Mee to DCL + Barnes + Targett, TC Kane
    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/entry/129818/event/26

    Ola Hovde (current OR #1): -8, Forster + Coufal + Grealish to Martinez + Konsa + Lookman, BB played
    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/entry/4865323/event/26

    Fudgy: dubious -4 ;), Ings + Raphinha to DCL + Son, Kane (c)
    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/entry/32812/event/26

    Good luck all!

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

      + top 10k EO (thanks to LiveFPL):

      Kane 159%
      Fernandes 116%
      Salah 93%
      Gündogan 93%
      Calvert-Lewin 78%
      Martínez 70%
      Cancelo 63%
      Son 63%
      Stones 56%
      Bamford 51%
      Watkins 47%
      Barnes 47%
      Dias 37%
      Raphinha 27%
      Targett 25%
      Dallas 23%

      Overall this week 47% played TC, 17% BB, 8% WC, 1% FH

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

        Kane higher than I expected! :O

        Will still cheer on Bruno 🙂

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

        Bruno EO much lower than expected....overall EO?

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

          Yes that is overall EO, ownership on its own is max 100%

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

      Kaptain Kane: -4, Ings + Raphinha to DCL + Pereira, TC Kane

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

      Thank you!

    4. Over Midwicket
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Very few Bruno (c).. Interesting

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

        It’s because we’re playing Chelsea tough one just hoping to get any kind of result

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

      Fudgy made the best moves here

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

        Yes, very nice. I'd give his Son the advantage over Barnes due to Maddison being out.

    6. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      5 x Kane
      4 x Salah
      1 x KdB
      2 x Unknown

      No Gundogan, Son, Vardy or DCL cappo?

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

        No Bruno? 😮

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

          I missed out that OR#1 went Bruno (c) 🙂

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

            Got it, cheers....mind you, did he not cappo Mee recently? 😉

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

              Or was it Pope, can’t remember...

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

      Missed that Lateriser went Kane (c) and OR#1 Bruno (c)

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

        Lateriser capped Kane?

        FFS GW fail.

    8. Hybrid.power
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      More Salahs than I thought. Phew

    9. F_Ivanovic
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Fabio captaining Salah - same as me - very easy to predict too. He always likes going with what the models say. There's a reason he's so good.

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

        Same here. I just couldn't ignore that Sheff Utd let Fulham have 15 shots, 7 shots on target, 66% possession last match and now have no fit centre backs.

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

      Wow. Lots of Salah C/TC.

  11. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    H2H has TC’d Son....I don’t own Son

    Gulp...

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

      Condolences

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

    How long does it normally take after a GW deadline for LiveFPL to start working?

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

      Already running

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

        I can't see my live rank right now.

        Wanna know how far I've fallen due to this 8 point hit.

  13. Deulofail
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Looking good for next week! Just worried about Minamino (and Bruno against City)

    McCarthy!
    TAA Cancelo! Stones!
    Bruno Sone ESR Gundo(c)! Minamino!*
    Kane Ings!

    Martinez | DCL, Targett, Mee

    1 FT. 1.0 ITB
    ! = DGW

  14. 272MK
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I missed the deadline. Left captaincy on Gundo.

    Pls dear god. plssss

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

      Lucky boy.

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

      Good option considering no Flappy

  15. Sean
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    All 10 of the top EO players this week are in my team, my only differential is Kane TC which doesn’t even feel like one

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

    what gameweek are we anticipating the Villa v Everton game to be put into? 28?

  17. fc_skrald
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Both my mini League leader and I wildcarded - we have 10 of the same players starting and same captain... the only difference is his Stones and my Pereira (the one from West Brom) 🙂

    1. Weilong7
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Omg that’s so coincident!

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

    Cancelo > Digne for 28? Or 27?

    1. Sean
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No

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

      No had his rest

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

        This is assuming Everyon have a double sorry

    3. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Cancelo is getting a bit annoying allright

      The likes of Shaw, Alonso, Digne or Periera might freshen things up

  19. ZimZalabim
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    seeing loads of Salah C or TC and I sold him on wc .. gulp

    1. AC Yew
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      If he doesnt deliver this week hes out.

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

      Same. I'm feeling pretty nervous now. ..

  20. Sgt Frank Drebin
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Damn I did such a stupid thing. I forgot about my bench fodder non playing goalkeeper on a bench boost. Even for a -4 if for example Areola played 2 games that would make at least 0 pts net.

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

      "I am not saying I need an injury, but I need an injury"

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

      Yeah big mistake

  21. The-Red-1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Does anyone else get really excited when the teams are updated, not for this week, but to start tinkering for next week?

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

      You need to get out more 😉

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

      Yes, will get out before and after doing this

  22. Quan MisTaka
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Obviously this is completely dependent on how this GW goes

    But as preliminary thought how about

    Raphina + Kane to KDB + Antonio (-4)

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

      Kane has palace, find another way

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

        Kane has Europe in midweek, he might not play

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

          Vinicius is will start

      2. Quan MisTaka
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Antonio has leeds and KDB a double. Dont think there is another way unless i get rid of Salah or Bruno which looks dodgey

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

          Salah

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

    Only worried this weeny DCL & Stones, 70 & 50%

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

      Week

  24. Sgt Frank Drebin
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    33% of people in the Top 10k triple captained Kane. 160% ownership. Crucial moment of the season for us non owners

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

      dont worry, it will be smooth

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

    Top 10K = 25 players on average, 24 if you count the hits... Not winning FPL this weekend.

    1. Luton_Fan
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Eh?

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

        Everybody has a team of double game week players

  26. Over Midwicket
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    City are going to destroy West Ham without Fabs.. KDB/Gundo captainers rejoice.

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

    I'm so happy my rival took a 16 points hit! Even if its a dgw I don't think there's any justification for that

  28. AC Yew
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Gundogan TC next week.

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

      Kev.

  29. The Red Devil
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Looking at all the 'expert' teams, it'd seem Kane was the better option, despite owning both Kane and Fernandes & as a United fan, with 2 away games, went with Fernandes captain

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

    Gulp at the kane ownership.

    1. FPL price manipulators are …
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Me too

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

        Wrong forum