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. JJO
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I just knew that will happen
    Now just waiting for Mee/Tarkowski goal too
    Fling fpl

    1. Crouching Tiger
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      And Pope penalty save + assist

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

    Dias makes up for that Stones 27 pointer in the City's previous double GW.

  3. Hotdogs for Tea
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    KDB getting back into the groove ... essential again maybe ?

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

      Apart from that beautiful assist he’s looked a little rusty.

      1. Hotdogs for Tea
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        getting better by the minute

    2. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      One assist doesn’t equal essential

      Have a seat

      1. Hotdogs for Tea
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        class is permanent 🙂

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

    Multiple intricate passes by city players in build up

    Walker: *bets it off defender as hard as he can*

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

      The thing about Walker is that he never wants to walk it in

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

    Willing to give away beef brisket for a West Ham goal

  6. Baines on Toast...
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Dias you beautiful man

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

    Ant almost wipes CS

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

    ANTONIO POST

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

    Antonio fluffs best chance either team has had

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

    Antonio post!

    West Ham are scoring here

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

      Confusing message

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

        Hehe

      2. @persecuted_by_mods
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Translation - Antonio hit the post! I believe west ham will score today as that chance was very close

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

      Antonio shot narrowly wide... City CS not looking comfortable

      1. Karan14
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        That would be great as a Stones non owner.

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

        Lingard was offside in the build up so wouldn’t have counted anyway..

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

      Has anyone owned all 3 of Stones, Cancelo and Dias for their hauls?

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

        No Stones & Cancelo I did never owned Dias

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

        Pep's wife has.

      3. Karan14
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Not Stones

      4. The Point About It Is
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        I got the Stones haul but missed out badly on pep roulette today (Cancelo, Foden, Gundo owner).

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

          Foden is risky and you know that.

      5. Vlekz
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Yup. Gw 19. Stones + cancelo.
          21 the same..
          On my wc last week. Shifted to ederson + dias

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

          Antonio!

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

        Still think West Ham score today

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

          you called it!

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

        Antonio post. Very close.

      8. Sim Simma
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Rival captained Dias

      9. Royal5
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Almost every rival I have TC'ed Kane. Only regular C for me. Anyone know the overall TC for Kane in the top 10k? Hate the feeling with hoping for a blank on my DGW captain :/

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

          Kane will fail. At best two goals. Nothing to worry about.

        2. Sim Simma
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          I couldn't afford Kane but everyone close to me in my league has TC Kane so EO will be high

          1. Royal5
            • 12 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            Yup seems plenty went kane tc

        3. Vlekz
            3 years, 1 month ago

            His eo is less than 200% overall (any rank). So if you want to increase your rank in the game. Hope for a big score.
            If you want to go ahead in your ML, I guess hope for a blank

            1. Royal5
              • 12 Years
              3 years, 1 month ago

              My thoughts. Think I'll hope for a return just not two hatties.

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

          Lingard good pass back to Ederson

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

          Cancelo really needs to get 1-2 hauls before the end of the season. So much promise so little points.

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

          Guy could be in for some major TC

          https://twitter.com/k_jemp/status/1365650091890065411

          1. GOTHAM City F.C.
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            Balls of steel

        7. Pukki Blinders
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Something about Walker gives me confidence that Dias CS is going down the drain ffs

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

          dias still have a ceiling of 6?

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

            60*

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

            Yes, it is now impossible for City to get a CS. Thanks a lot, ceilings.

        9. Bobby Digital
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Ferran limping

          1. Bobby Digital
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            Bring on Sterling!

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

            Raz incoming

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

          Goal west ham

        11. sunzip14
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          1-1

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

            Shiiii

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

          To be fair, you pay the premium price for Dias vs Stones for the extra goal threat. Well deserved.

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

          West Ham have been knocking...

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

            Goal.

            Antonio

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

              With Cancelo benched bye bye clean sheet.

              Game on!!

        14. Debauchy
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Nice.....

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

          Lovely stuff Cancelo owner!

        16. Kaneyonero
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Yes justice for cancelno

        17. Muchentuchel
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          YESSS GET IN TONY!!!