Dugout Discussion

Grealish benched as United stick with five-man defence for Manchester derby

The Manchester derby is the first of five matches taking place on a slightly quieter-than-usual Saturday afternoon of Premier League football.

The omission of Jack Grealish from the City starting XI is perhaps the headline team news from the lunchtime clash at Old Trafford, with the benchings of Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez rather more predictable given their relative lack of involvement on the domestic front over the last couple of months.

Ilkay Gundogan replaces the former Villa man in one of two changes that Pep Guardiola has made from Gameweek 10, with John Stones in for the suspended Aymeric Laporte his other alteration.

Kyle Walker is fit to start after taking a knock to his foot in midweek.

Raphael Varane‘s hamstring injury rules him out of the visit of United’s cross-city rivals, with Eric Bailly taking his place.

Victor Lindelof was a minor concern for this clash with a knock but is fit to take his place alongside Bailly and Harry Maguire in a three-man central defence, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seemingly opting for the same 3-4-1-2 – or, given the likelihood of them sitting back, 5-3-2 – set-up he has favoured in his side’s last two competitive matches.

The Norwegian had hinted at a few other injury doubts without naming names in his pre-match press conference and the Red Devils are indeed without another one of their starters from the 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Edinson Cavani is the man to miss out, with Mason Greenwood starting in his stead.

Aside from those two enforced alterations, United are otherwise unchanged from last week.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the most selected player in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) for this encounter but his 31% ownership figure has to be taken with a pinch of salt, given the number of ‘ghost teams’ in FPL that tend to be drifting along three months into a campaign.

Among the top 10k, Ronaldo is the only United player with an ‘effective ownership’ (EO) above 1% for this fixture.

It’s Phil Foden and Joao Cancelo who are the most popular picks among the leading 10,000 managers, each boasting an EO of just over 62%.

GAMEWEEK 11 LINE-UPS

Man Utd XI: De Gea, Wan Bissaka, Bailly, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, Fernandes, McTominay, Fred, Greenwood, Ronaldo.

Subs: Henderson, Martial, Rashford, Lingard, Dalot, Sancho, Telles, Matic, Van de Beek.

Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Stones, Cancelo, Silva, Gundogan, Rodri, De Bruyne, Jesus, Foden.

Subs: Steffen, Carson, Ake, Sterling, Grealish, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Palmer.

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1,531 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Mr. O'Connell
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Quite happy with my Ronaldo 1 pointer. Keeps him under the radar.

    1. Nabs Kebabs
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      nice mate

      1. Mr. O'Connell
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Playing the long game. Didn't want any points this week anyway.

    2. Forza Papac
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Every cloud

  2. Gubby-Allen
    • 2 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Salah red card and missed penalty tomorrow to ensure my VC outscores my captain.

  3. JONALDINHO
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Livra, Cancelo, Foden. Not a bad start. If only Foden’s shot was 1 inch to the left

  4. RogDog_jimmy
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Foden and Ronaldo blank worth as much to me as Cancelo return just about.

    Nice Azpi stay on the bench to get me Livra’s points for the third week in a row pleas.

  5. Goodfeathers
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Pathetic performance from United. More shots against their own keeper than City's..

    1. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      What did you expect? You need to manage your expectation.

      1. Goodfeathers
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Ha! It's exactly as i expected. Just thought it was a funny stat about the shots..

  6. Philosopher's Stones
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    A Christensen brace out of the blue today would be quite swell.

  7. Stranger Mings
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Should Jesus have got a pen ?

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      No.

    2. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      No

    3. Goodfeathers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Most definitely.

      1. Stranger Mings
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Gutted as a Jesus although downgrading next week to fund son

    4. RogDog_jimmy
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      I don’t understand how not. He played the all past Telles and then Telles clipped his foot as he was running past him.

      What am I missing? (Not a City or MU fan for what it’s worth)

      1. Brehmeren
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Telles touched the ball

        1. RogDog_jimmy
          • 3 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          Ok most definitely didn’t look it from the angle they showed here. But if he did then fair enough.

          1. Brehmeren
            • 13 Years
            2 years, 4 months ago

            Very little touch tbf

    5. Pipermaru
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Clear pen.

      1. Baps hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        I agree.

    6. HuttonDressedasLahm
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Soft, but definite pen

    7. RogDog_jimmy
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      While we’re at it Zouma should have won a pen last week when he was pulled back - insane that wasn’t given!

    8. BobbyDoesNotLook
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Clear. Non-owner.

  8. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Operation get Azpi off that bench!

    1. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      On for James after his brace on 83 mins

    2. Dynamic Duos
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Hope so , stupidness needs to be punished

  9. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    20 points from 2 players, what a start!

    1. The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Not as good as mine 14 points from 1 player. My average is 14, yours is only 10. 😀

      1. Old Man
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        If you can finish with the same average this week I will salute you as an FPL god ...... and fly to the moon before the next GW starts.

    2. Baps hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      14 from one is better average 🙂

      1. Baps hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        And I totally forgot Jesus 🙁 You win me.

    3. Gunneryank
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Nice! I genuinely root for ya, you've had some craptastic luck. Feeling better?

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        I've felt better for a few weeks as I have been happy with my team overall, now starting to yield some better scores.

        And thanks!

  10. andre_c
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    You guys think Azpi will come on?

    1. Goodfeathers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Probably

      1. andre_c
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        thats annoying i have livra first bench

        1. Goodfeathers
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          Me too. Hence my pessimism 🙂

    2. RogDog_jimmy
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Ha. He hasn’t been lately. I’m not expecting him to but who knows. It would be Livra for me so not a huge deal (but if you benched Cancelo then I think it’s going to be a stressful game to watch and wait and see)

      1. andre_c
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        luckily i played cancelo and have livra first bench

        1. RogDog_jimmy
          • 3 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          Well we’re in the same boat then!

          I think we get Livra’s points in the end.

  11. drughi
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Cant get my midfielders to score any points, sarr and benrahma blanked for 4 weeks each got rid for foden that has now blanked 2 in a row.

  12. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Son or Foden in for Havertz? Leaning Son.

    1. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      I would go son

    2. drughi
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      yeah doing foden>son this week

      1. Ze_Austin
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        If you think Man U's defence is bad, check Everton out

        1. _Ninja_
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          I think Foden might get rested for Everton as they have PSG a few days later.

      2. Scots Gooner
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        I think that's a mistake

    3. Goodfeathers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Son

    4. My heart goes Salalalalah
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Son

    5. Pipermaru
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Havertz to Son, that's my transfer as well.

    6. _Ninja_
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Cheers all

    7. Konstaapeli
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      If that shot went in everyome would say Foden. Small margins.

  13. Scots Gooner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Cancelo (c) vs Everton next week?

    1. _Ninja_
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Nah

    2. F4L
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      too hard to predict his hauls, Leicester, Chelsea and United away this season so far

  14. F4L
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Rodri and Walker have been brilliant this year

    1. Thomas Magnum
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Walker unlucky to not get more points in FPL so far

      1. F4L
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        yeah he's gone under the radar a bit, an attacking return or two and I'm sure he'll become popular to own

  15. Abusive_Sgt_Daelrhos
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    That Foden goal would have been sweet. Still blessed to have Joao lol

  16. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    *Grabs popcorn for Roy Keane explosion*

    1. Champ
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Put the dog outside too. That high pitch squealing is too much for them. He does call it straight though to be fair...

    2. My heart goes Salalalalah
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Dirty

  17. LSP
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Cancelo is a beast. He was everywhere!

  18. FPLtfs
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Ole 4 transfers, Pep 0 transfers. Is is back to 5 transfers pr team?

    1. _Ninja_
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      If you means subs.. Shaws was a concussion sub.

  19. Champ
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    BBC few mins ago :

    "Thousands of empty red plastic seats inside Old Trafford. We're still playing"

    hmm. Is the word "plastic" adding anything?!

    It's almost like the BBC don't like United lol

    1. Ginkapo FPL
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Its an ecological waste, all that single use plastic

    2. yousunkmybattleship
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Emphasising the plastic fans

  20. Moose™
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Havertz + Antonio > Son + Hwang

    Just have enough ITB. Do it asap? I know it is risky moves lol

  21. IAWC ( It's a Wonderfu…
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Any chance dias gets bonus?

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

      He's currently one off. Maybe.

  22. ZeBestee
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Livra starters, hands up please. 😛

    1. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      😀
      Cancelo bencher. 🙁

      1. ZeBestee
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Cancelo turns on the beast mode against top teams.

    2. Philosopher's Stones
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Which of the three hands?

    3. Gunneryank
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Oh yeah. Been starting him for weeks.

  23. No Professionals
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Should have brought Rashford and sancho on.

    1. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Started Rashford*

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

      Sancho was on, for all the difference it made.

      1. Ginkapo FPL
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Sancho will add 20 goals to United this year. Easy

        1. Ginkapo FPL
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          Sancho is perfect to solve United right wing issue (plays left wing)

        2. Gunneryank
          • 2 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          Can't tell if you're joking or not.

          1. Ginkapo FPL
            • 12 Years
            2 years, 4 months ago

            Just repeating MBPs endless rants from preseason. Despite the bullying he wasnt right, maybe bullies shouldnt be listened to

            1. Gunneryank
              • 2 Years
              2 years, 4 months ago

              You two having a go at each other is entertaining, i will admit.

              1. Ginkapo FPL
                • 12 Years
                2 years, 4 months ago

                I refrain most of the time as it isnt healthy for anyone

  24. Will Kane
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Good to see all the thought I put into whether to play Dias or Livra turned out to be completely irrelevant 🙂

    1. ManofKent
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Me too - I was having a funny five minutes and thought Utd stood a chance of scoring...

      1. Will Kane
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Same, in the end the City clean sheet felt totally safe from about 30 seconds in!

  25. Gandalf
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Annoying that Ronaldo has Watford next.. hard to remove before then having held him for so long. Initial thoughts?

    A. Keep him for Watford and bring him back on a wildcard
    B. -4 to bring in Son and Jimmy
    C. Switch to Ronaldo

    1. Gandalf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      C. Switch to Kane *

      1. WVA
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Kane has been even worse!

    2. Baps hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Keep, they want to bounce back, selling him before (brace or) hattie and you will regret it many years.

  26. yousunkmybattleship
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Well done Man Utd on only losing 2-0

    1. Philosopher's Stones
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Improvement from the Liverpool game. New 7 year contract for Ole needed!

  27. WVA
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Oh well at least I can happily sell Ronaldo to fun Son

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Before Watford, splendid idea.

      1. WVA
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Son to comfortably outscore him especially long term

    2. Thomas Magnum
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Once United fire the coach people will try to make the case to keep Ronaldo due to the ‘new manager bounce’

  28. Original Sin
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Duffy to Cancelo dine before he rises tonight. Should have taken a hit and done it before this GW anyway, thought Ronaldo will score

    1. Original Sin
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Would*

  29. Grounderz
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Ohh man, frustrated. Benched Cancelo over Broja.

    1. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Don't bench your premiums, simples.

    2. Thomas Magnum
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 4 months ago

      Try not to worry too much, it was the right decision on paper just didn’t work out the way you’d have wanted

      1. Ginkapo FPL
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        It wasnt

        1. Grounderz
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          In hindsight, not so good a decision now.

          1. Dynamic Duos
            • 10 Years
            2 years, 4 months ago

            Foresight , I'm sure I told you

        2. Thomas Magnum
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          Why not? Who would’ve seriously predicted Cancelo to get 2 assists and a clean sheet?

          1. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
            • 10 Years
            2 years, 4 months ago

            What like the 3 he got in the week?

          2. Dynamic Duos
            • 10 Years
            2 years, 4 months ago

            I expected an assist and cs

          3. Dynamic Duos
            • 10 Years
            2 years, 4 months ago

            Do you support Utd or something?

            1. Ginkapo FPL
              • 12 Years
              2 years, 4 months ago

              Yup, its United bias. I've suffered similar with Arsenal players in the past

            2. Thomas Magnum
              • 8 Years
              2 years, 4 months ago

              No I couldn’t care less about United, I just see Ronaldo and fear he’ll score against any defense

          4. Baps hunter
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 6 Years
            2 years, 4 months ago

            I predicted one attacking return and cs. Two assists equals one goal.

          5. Gunneryank
            • 2 Years
            2 years, 4 months ago

            I wouldn't have bet against him returning something vs United. He's one of their most creative attacking players and United are awful.

      2. Grounderz
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Thanks for the consoling words. Firstly, fully trusted Man Utd to turn things around and make it tough for Man City. Secondly, felt Broja would have started ahead of Armstrong and get the nod.

      3. Dynamic Duos
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        The hell it was