Dugout Discussion

De Bruyne ‘not fully fit’ to face Chelsea side without Mount or Chilwell

Kevin De Bruyne (£11.8m) misses out on Manchester City’s meeting with Chelsea because he is “not fully fit”.

That is according to a club press release issued on Saturday afternoon as Pep Guardiola names a rather unconventional side at the Etihad Stadium.

With John Stones (£5.1m) serving the last of his three-match ban, the Manchester City manager has chosen three centre-backs in Nathan Aké (£5.4m), Aymeric Laporte (£6.0m) and Ruben Dias (£6.0m).

Two wing-backs appear in the team, namely João Cancelo (£5.8m) and Benjamin Mendy (£5.9m) but Rodrigo (£5.3m) is the only recognised central midfielder.

Wingers Ferran Torres (£6.9m) and Raheem Sterling (£11.0m) also start as well as two centre-forwards in Sergio Aguero (£10.3m) and Gabriel Jesus (£9.1m).

Chelsea’s line-up is more straight forward as Thomas Tuchel goes with his usual 3-4-3 although there are key absences there too.

Mason Mount (£7.3m) and Ben Chilwell (£5.9m) miss out on the matchday squad entirely while Kai Havertz (£8.3m) and Kurt Zouma (£5.3m) drop to the bench.

César Azpilicueta (£5.9m) is in the back-three with Andreas Christensen (£4.7m) and Antonio Rüdiger (£4.7m) while Reece James (£5.1m) and Marcos Alonso (£5.7m) are in the wing-back roles. The latter makes only his second start since Gameweek 31.

Billy Gilmour (£4.3m) earns back-to-back league starts and features alongside N’Golo Kanté (£4.9m).

Christian Pulisic (£8.3m) and Hakim Ziyech (£7.9m) start either side of Timo Werner (£9.2m) in the front-three.

Triple Gameweek 35 Line-ups

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Ake, Mendy, Rodrigo, Torres, Sterling, Aguero, Jesus.

Chelsea XI: E Mendy; Rüdiger, Christensen, Azpilicueta; Alonso, Kanté, Gilmour, R James; Pulisic, Werner, Ziyech.

Triple Gameweek 35 so far…

Christian Benteke (£5.5m) opened the scoring as Crystal Palace beat Sheffield United 2-0 on Saturday afternoon.

It was his third goal in his last five away matches and he could have walked away from Bramall Lane with more to his name.

The former Liverpool man had one fine effort blocked before the woodwork denied him in the second half.

However, Eberechi Eze (£5.8m) proved to be the star of the show, registering an assist and scoring in the second half to claim maximum bonus points.

By contrast, Wilfried Zaha (£7.2m) was relatively peripheral, stationed on the left-hand side of attacking midfield rather than in in his usual out-of-position centre-forward berth.

Meanwhile, there was a clean sheet for Crystal Palace’s defenders, Gary Cahill (£4.5m) benefitting the most thanks to his assist for Eze’s goal while Joel Ward (£4.3m) picked up a first-half yellow card.

Provisional bonus points

  • 3 – Eberechi Eze
  • 2 – Christian Benteke, Gary Cahill

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707 Comments Post a Comment
  1. BrockLanders
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 hours ago

    Can we have another Mendy pen save in the second half 🙂

    1. moment
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      If we get another pen Ederson will take it

      1. jdp219
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 hours ago

        Darn well better. But, I'm available to take them, too.

  2. Make United Great Again
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 4 hours ago

    Absolutely world class save from Mendy

  3. Pukki Blinders
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 hours ago

    City and the penalty curse continues. I think Laporte is next in line?

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      Shouldn't have even been a penalty. Free lucky points for Mendy owners.

    2. SEXY SALAH
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      I can’t believe Ederson still hasn’t took one after those Pep comments months ago

      1. Pukki Blinders
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 4 hours ago

        Knowing City it’ll probably hit the crossbar allowing the other team to score an open goal from half way...

  4. SEXY SALAH
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 hours ago

    If I owned Mendy he’d have somehow slipped on his arse and the ball would have trickled in

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      Super Saints?

      1. SEXY SALAH
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 hours ago

        Haha mine and his luck have swapped past couple of months

        1. WVA
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 4 hours ago

          Mine has not changed! Vardy has ruined me the last few weeks

          1. SEXY SALAH
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 4 hours ago

            Ah sorry I thought last time I looked you had a great rank

            1. WVA
              • 7 Years
              3 years, 4 hours ago

              19k... Not great, it's my mini leagues that are killing me

      2. WVA
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 hours ago

        My main rival has Mendy, Bamford, Dallas so far today

        1. SEXY SALAH
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 4 hours ago

          Brilliant, this game eh haha

        2. AC/DC AFC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 4 hours ago

          Is your main rival in front because I can't believe you're winning anything from your posts?

          1. WVA
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 4 hours ago

            He will be after this week and I'm bench boosting and he's not

          2. Hazz
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 4 hours ago

            He's so unlucky, he's only at a lowly rank of 20k or so.

            Unbelievably bad luck this season. Absolutely shocking. Should really just chuck it in since the performance is so shameful.

            Don't know why they come here really, this site is for pros not managers for crappy ranks such as theirs.

  5. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 hours ago

    Rudiger is such a boring pick.

    If he doesn't keep a cs then you get no points.

    1. _Ninja_
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      Yeah i sold him for Digne this week, no cleanies but a chance of an assist.

    2. Qaiss
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      You talk some tripe lol

      He’s 4.7 playing for the best defensive side since February. What do you expect?

    3. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      Almost as boring as most of your posts.

  6. Scots Gooner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 hours ago

    I transferred out Mendy for Hendo...

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      You can’t beat yourself up for that.

      Any pen save is lucky, that was ridiculous.

      1. WVA
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 hours ago

        What a surprise, my main rival has him

    2. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      surely DDG plays one of the games too

  7. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 hours ago

    Aguero must have Mendy in his fantasy team!

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      No he's on the lookout for new clubs.

  8. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 hours ago

    Aguero keeping his future team in the game to help in their race for Top 4 😮

    1. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      Nah will be playing for West Ham in Champions league next season

  9. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 hours ago

    It aint luck
    It aint skill
    Its FPL

    1. WVA
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      It's all luck

  10. Vazza
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 4 hours ago

    So annoyed with mendy

  11. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 hours ago

    Mendy Eo 30% ughhh

    Those benteke punt points being neutralised

    1. Indpush
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      Or in my case added to 🙂

  12. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 hours ago

    Everything going right for OR#1 this season!

    1. moment
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      No Fernandes is a brass ball move

      1. Sun Jihai
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 4 hours ago

        Salah haul and Bruno blank probably this week. Especially when Mark's got the same setup!

    2. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      Thats the only way you get to OR1

    3. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      That's why he is #1

    4. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      Well, yes

    5. Manani
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      duh

  13. el polako
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 hours ago

    Thank you Mendy ! My first goalie pen save in years.

  14. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 hours ago

    Another Mendy save would be nice. Get that extra point for 3 saves.

  15. Party time
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      Wish we could fast forward this game for the Liverpool - Southampton game

    • wulfrunian
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      Mendy you beauty!!Dial up!

    • Digital-Real
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      City CS locked in , Werner on the pitch

    • jammie26
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 hours ago

      Does werner understand the offside rule?

      1. Party time
          3 years, 4 hours ago

          Heard Morata is his idol

        • GinjaWhinja
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 4 hours ago

          His teammates are awful at finding him early. The whole point of playing him is those runs in behind, but they always hold the ball for far too long.

      2. Holmes
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 4 hours ago

        What an idiot Mendy is, keeps scoring points every week!!! So frustrating....

      3. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 4 hours ago

        Mendy getting the sort of easy saves that Martinez gets 8-9 of most games

      4. Digital-Real
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 hours ago

        for the neutrals- who would you prefer to win the CL?

        Chelsea or Man City?

        1. jammie26
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 4 hours ago

          Couldn't care less.

        2. Holmes
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 4 hours ago

          Man City

          Chelsea deserve that for keeping so many CSs

        3. 2999 - Lady of Legend
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 4 hours ago

          City.

      5. Party time
          3 years, 4 hours ago

          City to win ucl

          1. Pukki Blinders
            • 4 Years
            3 years, 4 hours ago

            Won’t have Anthony Taylor looking after them in the final so no

        • Pukki Blinders
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 4 hours ago

          Mendy has hit double digits...

          1. Fred54
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 4 hours ago

            Aguero always delivering the hauls...

        • Vazza
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 4 hours ago

          Damn this game!!!

        • gooberman
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 4 hours ago

          Werner really is so poor. How he keeps Abraham and Giroud out the team is beyond me.

        • gooberman
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 4 hours ago

          How has Azpiliqueta got so much bps?

          1. Fred54
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 4 hours ago

            Legacy points.

        • Bobby Digital
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 4 hours ago

          Pass the ball Kun!

        • _Ninja_
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 4 hours ago

          Ziyech goal azpi a

          1. The Ilfordian
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 4 hours ago

            Oh yes, Azpi joy!

        • g40steve
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 4 hours ago

          Ziyech G

        • SEXY SALAH
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 4 hours ago

          OKG Ziyech