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

    I was late to the Gundo party and now hung on too long.

    Story of my university life

  2. Fit_to_drop
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Have exact money to do Cresswell (injured) & Laporte (rotated) to TAA & Struijk tonight before Trent rises. 2 FTs. Also have Shaw, Azpi, Coady.

    Do it?

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

      With haste!

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

      Laporte nailed now 😀

  3. Dynamic
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Stones' scores in the last 7 gameweeks: 0, 1, 0, 14, 0, 1, -2

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

      Those 0 means auto subs so dont okay overall

      1. Nomar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Unless your auto sub was a no playing defender, or also got 0 points. Both entirely plausible.

  4. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Stones to Fofana for a hit?

  5. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Pereira or Castagne?

    1. Brehmeren
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Not Pereira! Take it from a long time owner.

  6. DannyDrinkVodka
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Brilliant idea starting Stones over Rudiger

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

      Too much vodka!

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

      Drank Vodka?

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

        FPL is easy if explanation to mistakes is written in username 😉

        1. Hits from the Bong
          • 5 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          This

        2. Werder Bremner
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          *changes name to No-Idea-What-Im-Doing

        3. FPL flop
          • 4 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Works for me! 🙂

  7. grumpyman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Cresswell > Masuaku for a hit. Stones off the bench for Masuaku. Fun times.

  8. Drop Dead Tsimikas
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    No Kane? No problem, got Bale and Son. Yay?

    Watkins on the bench (only Nacho left) and who is one of my three defenders if not one Mr. Stones?

    Go on, Ollie, bag a hattie.

    1. Drop Dead Tsimikas
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Needless to say, Stones is gone, alongside Bale, for Greenwood and TAA.

  9. Flair
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    No City on WC has proven a success. Will be a rude awakening next season when I need to start worrying about Pep roulette again with Foden and co

    City really need to show some of that backbone that will be needed vs Mbappe and Neymar in the second half here

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

      Yeah it all aligned so nicely for recent WC 🙂

      Hopefully Stones is back in vs PSG 🙂

      1. Flair
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Probably be Laporte-Dias on recent form

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

    Fortunately Stones was leaving anyway...

    A) Stones/Bamford > TAA/Vydra
    B) Stones/Son > TAA/Greenwood
    C) Stones/Son > TAA/Maddison
    D) Stones/Jota > TAA/Trossard

    - Vydra (WOL, WHU) is decent.
    - Greenwood (LEE, LIV) is okay.
    - Trossard (SHU, LEE) is good, but Brighton.
    - Maddison (CRY, SHU) is good, but fitness?

    Latter three mean no Son for SHU in GW34.

    1. Snevitz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I wouldn't lose Bamford, Jota or Son, especially for those alternatives.

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

        That would mean no TAA unless Bruno or Kane is sold.

        1. Yank Revolution
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Bruno should be sold for TAA

  11. Snevitz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Martinez, Stones, Dawson and Dallas..currently on -4 from my backline but things could get worse.

    1. Freshy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      My triple Chelsea def is gold

  12. Philosopher's Stones
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Sanchez + Burn 15 pointer on the bench while Martinez and Stones leave me to dry. Story of my season.

  13. Oggle22
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    ML rival is 74 a head of me I took a few risks on my WC slah benched Jota misses sitter after sitter and he has white, Stones this was my chance to claw some points back fuming

    1. aborg
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I share your pain. Same situation with me...my rival about same points ahead of me and Stones and Gundo differntials to him did not pay off, Mendy did not play...can you believe it? goalie that is supposed to be the most nailed on for Chelsea!!! I had brought in Mendy to at least get some more goalie points then him.

      Also went Son(c) differential and it would have failed if were not for Kane's injury...Status quo as it is, so I did not get any more points then him in captaincy either! Gameweeks are running out and i'm out of options....getting TAA this weekend and already brought in Iheanacho last gameweek for a hit...those are my only bets.

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

    Who's the co-commentator on Sky?

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Andy Hinchcliffe

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

        Ta mate

  15. Hitthewall
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Mendy + Vydra -> Sanchez + Watkins?

  16. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Sterling & Dias to Rash/Greenwood & Trent -4?

    Mendy,
    Rüdiger, Shaw, Pereira, Trent
    Lingz, Jota, Bruno, Rashy/Greenwood
    Nacho, Watkins

    Martinez, Phillips, Kane, Son,

    1. The 12th Man
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Good moves.

      1. g40steve
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Ta,

        Would you change a keeper or stick?

        Schmeichel
        Meslier
        Patrício

        1. The 12th Man
          • 10 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          I’d stick. Martinez is the guy.

          1. g40steve
            • 6 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            Cheers.

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

      Easy

      1. g40steve
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Cheers

      2. g40steve
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Just rashy or gw?

  17. Super Nashwan
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Will mendy be back in goals for Chelsea this weekend?

    1. The 12th Man
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      How can anyone on here possibly answer that question?

  18. TheDragon
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Any chance Cancelo comes on?

    1. Flair
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Always a chance

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

      Wtf was that from Zinchenko 😆

  19. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    City seem bored even when playing with a man less. No chance villa get anything here

    No wonder they wanted new competition

  20. Champions League Varane
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Thoughts on Siggy as a differential?

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

    City won't even bother to give Martinez a save point

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

      Tap in missed . . . certainly wouldn't have had a chance with that.

  22. Bushwhacker
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Oh Gundo . . . that was awful.

  23. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Dias nailed on? Or Ake is a threat?

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

      Laporte and Ake is an anagram for sieve.

  24. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    My man Davis gets in. I like it. I need him for GW 33 for sure

  25. Stranger Mings
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Lloris & vydra to Sanchez & Watkins sound ok?

    1. Yank Revolution
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      It does

      1. Stranger Mings
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Cheers YR that’s my transfers!!

  26. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    A pass from Oleksandr Zinchenko (Manchester City) is intercepted by Emiliano Martinez and the move breaks down.

    Emi save?

    1. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Sadly no, it was a cross and not a shot...

  27. pingissimus
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Ducked Nacho last week to play Cresswell

    Ducked Greenwood this week to play Stones

    Still to decide whether I’m going to duck Maddison to play Shaw next time 🙂

  28. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    cash RC

  29. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Cash RED

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

      Now that no one can argue about. Very silly.

  30. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Carnage of reds