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. Luton_Fan
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Sterling or kdb captain next gw?

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

      Capping ManCity is a disaster waiting to happen...but, no guts, no glory...

      Yes, Sterling (C).

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

    Stones, Barnes, Watkins and Son can destroy my GW.

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

      Stones, Watkins and Barnes... I have them so really hope that they all haul!!! (Don't know what's the actual point to write this, but since you mentioned them 😉 )

  3. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Just in. Any fun on here this morning.

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

      Extra Mods deployed to ensure no trouble

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

        😆

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

    How do non Kane owners feel?

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

      Feeling of impending doom

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

      Scared.

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

      My DCL (TC) has him covered...

      Can't have 'em all.....

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

      Feels alright

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

    FYI the average top 10k team has 6.6 BGW29 players currently
    0.1 ARS, 1.7 AVL, 0.2 BHA, 0.3 FUL, 2.2 LEE, 0.0 NEW, 1.3 TOT, 0.7 WHU

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

      Everyone will have at least 7 BGW29ers easily

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

        Yeah I'm still thinking I'll not use my FH in it - the extra players you can get aren't very appealing

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

        That isn't a lot. I have 14 (and Ragabolly would say 15). Yet there was minor transfer cost issue, I do admit.

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

      That’s very handy, cheers Sun....please keep us updated on this in coming weeks. Very useful to know...

    3. Pep bites Kun
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Good info - cheers! It'll be interesting to see how these numbers change on the run in to 29

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

    Forgot to hit my tc. Oopsy

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

      Me too. But then you never did give me your password

    2. bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Could be worse I forgot to hit BB in GW37 a couple of seasons back, I ended up getting a single point from it in GW38.

  7. Pat Bonner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Kane’s gone from 18% ownership last gw to 158% this

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

      In top 10k

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

      Let's hope he gets cursed like Salah in DGW19

    3. A.J.
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      175% at my rank.

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

      Perfect set up for Blanks : D

      1. El Presidente
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Or season over for non owners...

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

          Why, you have someone else playing, don't you?

          If you decided against Kane, you back yourself man.....

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

      Only 127% EO at my rank of 49k, which is way lower than I expected tbh.

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

    Up 2.5k...good start to the DGW

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

      This has ruined the fun of FPL. I wait until FPL update

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

      20k red arrow for me lol

  9. bitm2007
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    3 out of 3 playing (Dias, Stones, Gundo), but expect at least two of them to be rotated in midweek.

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

      That is the fear... But still better that they started now than not (until they concede).

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

    Every dress you’ve never worn
    Every breath you’ve never taken
    Every welcome you’ve never known

    Saudi - welcome to Arabia**

    (**We won’t chop your hands off - promise!)

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

      Context?

    2. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Hahahaa

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

    Let's go stones, dias, gundo.

    Great to see cancello benched with sterling.

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

      I'll chat to you in a few days time...

      Karma is a b**ch...

  12. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Salah (C) here, ML Rival took him out on WC ...

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

      Me too, good luck dude!

      1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        You too!

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

      Opposite way round for me. I feel I've made a silly decision now

      1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Who’s your (C)?

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

          I capped DCL.

          My team seems to be very differental now, so will either be a very good week or a complete disaster.

          1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            Good choice!

  13. Blue Moon Rising
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Best sky game pick for 8.1?

    A) Raphinha
    B) Souceck
    C) Neto
    D) another

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

      Pereira, he's my captain for today

  14. VaVaVoom14
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Kane isn’t injured is he?

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

      I think they should rest him for Euro 2021. He's England's only hope

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

        England have no hope with Maguire and Pickford in the team.

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

      Where u get that from?

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

      Too late now even if he were. Don't worry about it.

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

    Regret not doing Bamford to Watkins for a hit now. Think it was the right decision?

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

      No Graelish, no fun.

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

      no

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

      Dont overthink it

    4. Says
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      no

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

    Too late to worry

  17. JabariParkersEyelid
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Early predictions for LMS safety score this week?

    Will go 110.

  18. Captain_Shirokov
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Today's wishlist:

    Dias hatrick
    Martinez CS + 2 penalty saves

    1. Weeb Kakashi
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Ederson Penalty save
      Traore brace

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

      Stones/Gundog/Bam hat tricks

  19. Weeb Kakashi
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    5 players on FH with less than 3% ownership.
    Bale, B.Traore,M.Pereira, Ricardo Pereira and Reguilon

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

      It will either be really good, or really bad.

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

    After taking

    -12 GW24
    -16 GW25
    -16 GW26

    It’s going to be lovely GW27 taking no hits!!

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

      -44 points in hits over 3 weeks is mental

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

        Yeah it’s been good fun, dropped 3,000 OR so was close to playing off ha!

  21. Forza Papac
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    C'mon West Ham!

  22. The Train Driver
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Need WH to score 2 early goals, come on!

  23. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Kane(c) but want him to blank noww...unbelievable

  24. The Riders of Mohan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Aguero?!

  25. THFC4LIFE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Livefpl not working for me.... anyone else the same?

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

    Foden warming up yet?

  27. Neevesy
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I've got Ederson, Stones and Gundo.

    ML leader has TC Sterling and has Cancelo.

    1. Eh, just one more thing ...
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Nice start

  28. Eh, just one more thing ...
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    And so it begins ....

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

    D(C)L. Everton dont play until Monday its gonna be a long weekend!

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

      Same...

      DCL (TC) here 🙂

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

        The upside is that my GW stays alive till the very end!

  30. matiakez
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    GW 27 fixtures look pretty ugly