Dugout Discussion

Gundogan back in City starting XI as Guardiola names strong side for Villa

After weeks of starting XI rotation around cup competitions home and abroad, Manchester City are back at something approaching full strength this evening.

The champions-elect take on Aston Villa in their delayed Gameweek 32 fixture, with kick-off in the Midlands at 20:15 BST.

Ilkay Gundogan has embodied that week-to-week uncertainty, having been benched in three successive league matches between Gameweeks 28 and 31.

The German is back in a Premier League starting XI this evening, along with Ruben Dias and a number of other high-profile, well-owned City assets.

Pep Guardiola has reacted to Saturday’s FA Cup defeat to Chelsea by making eight alterations, although the likelihood is that he would have rung most of those changes anyway.

Gundogan, Ederson, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden return to the team after benchings at Wembley.

Ruben Dias, Rodri and Gabriel Jesus are the only survivors from the side that started the last match.

Kevin De Bruyne is not involved after limping off with an ankle injury on Saturday, with Sergio Aguero also absent once again.

The Villa team news is more straightforward, with Dean Smith making only one change to his starting XI.

It’s an enforced one, too, with Trezeguet out for the season after knee surgery and replaced by teenage midfielder Jacob Ramsey.

This is the youngster’s first league start at Villa Park.

Jack Grealish is once again absent with a shin injury.


Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett, Nakamba, Luiz, Traore, McGinn, Ramsey, Watkins.

Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Dias, Zinchenko, Silva, Rodri, Gundogan, Mahrez, Jesus, Foden.

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659 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    MASON THE MAGNIFICENT

    Play up

  2. Buck The Trent
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    0-0 please

    1. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      lol

      1. Gazwaz80
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        😀

  3. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Darren Bent is talking *very* fast

    Has he been on the Bolivian Marching Powder

  4. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Triple spurs more or less essential after that 2nd half display

    1. OverTinker
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Please explain - didn't watch it

      1. Steve The Spud
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Didn’t watch it either

    2. Pep bites Kun
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Which 3 Spurs were you thinking?

  5. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Hoping for Cancelo no show

  6. Patson Dabaka
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Tried to be clever and kept KDB over Gundo. This could be a brutal watch.

  7. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Villa 1-0 up...they may have scored a bit too early 😀

  8. Collie01
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    McGinn goal

  9. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Pope (Johnstone)
    Cancelo AWB Rudiger Coufal Lowton
    Salah Jota Lingard Son ESR
    Iheanacho Kane* Laca*

    1 FT and 3.3 itb
    Kane and Laca injured and have no Salah. How to solve this mess?

    1. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Salah?

  10. JBG
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Haha wtf happened there?

    1. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Quick free kick from deep to on running Watkins, Stones may have done better with attempted diving clearence, Watkins squared it to McGinn who finished nicely from around the pen spot.

  11. Collie01
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Watkins nice assist

  12. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Watkins assist

  13. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Well that was quick. And I said I couldn't see villa scoring. Lol.

    1. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Hush let's leave that conversation on the other article lol

      1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Pop back in any time 😉

  14. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    loving it - rival have Dias and ederson and I have Cancelo

  15. REDMOND IN SANDALS
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    watkins on bench ffs

    1. All Hail K
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Just like Dallas last week? 🙂

  16. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    John Stones is back to normal, at last 😆

  17. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Ollie!

  18. JJeyy
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Watkins get in

  19. Shark Team
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    In a gw with 4 returns on the pitch I left Sanchez Watkins and Dunk on the bench. Still Watkins comes in for Raphinha though

  20. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Watkins first on my bench already outscoring Salah and Jota. Ffs... Cancelo benched and still can’t get him on

  21. Ady87
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    1) Why do I still have Dias and Stones
    2) We’re gonna win the league

  22. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Come on Villa!!

  23. TomSaints
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Forgot I have Watkins. Nice

  24. TomSaints
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    City will come back and win but if they don’t....

    Things start to get a little bit interesting

    1. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Yes true. They would have liked to have had the PL fully wrapped up before CL semis and cup final.

  25. JONALDINHO
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    If City lose tonight and Utd beat Leeds there’s only 5 pts in it with 5 games to go...

    1. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      6 points I thought? United have Liverpool the following week but City have to play Chelsea and Everton in those last 5 games. Still think city will win this game mind although I hope I’m wrong...

  26. Salarrivederci
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Chances of Cancelo staying on the bench? 🙂
    Watkins on bench for me 😀

    1. Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Fairy high. He rarely uses him off the bench.

  27. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Wtf is this

    1. FPL price manipulators are …
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      European Super League fatigue

  28. MOZIL
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Greenwood or Jota for gw33? Will Jota start next game?

    1. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Both good options imo. Jota was close a few times to scoring vs Leeds.

      1. MOZIL
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        But will he starts tho?

  29. rokonto
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    On livefpl why is Watkins in my live battle gain and loss list, he is on my bench coming in for Azpilicueta?

  30. FPL price manipulators are …
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Stay on the bench Cancelo. Watkins first sub

    1. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Same but still can’t get him on...