Dugout Discussion

Man City v Chelsea team news: Mount and Dias benched as Foden returns

Double Gameweek 22 continues this Saturday lunchtime as Manchester City play host to Chelsea.

Kick-off at the Etihad is at 12:30 GMT.

This is the first of two scheduled fixtures for Thomas Tuchel’s side in Gameweek 22, with Brighton and Hove Albion next up on Tuesday.

More Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers bought Mason Mount than any other player who has two matches in the current Gameweek but the midfielder, who had completed 90 minutes in each of Chelsea’s last eight Premier League games, is only among the substitutes today.

Kai Havertz, Timo Werner and Callum Hudson-Odoi are also pmitted as Tuchel opts for a slightly surprising front three of Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic and Romelu Lukaku.

Pulisic and Ziyech are among five changes from the side that beat Tottenham Hotspur in midweek, with Marcos Alonso, Thiago Silva and N’Golo Kante all returning to the fray.

Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Werner and Jorginho are benched, while Andreas Christensen has Covid-19.

Pep Guardiola delivered the ominous news that Manchester City had some fresh cases of coronavirus in his pre-match press conference but the damage appears minimal when looking at the teamsheet.

Nathan Ake and Cole Palmer are the two players to miss out (the City website repeating the line that they are “short of full fitness”), while Oleksandr Zinchenko has picked up an injury and is also unavailable.

Ederson, John Stones, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling all come into a strong-looking side after missing the FA Cup win over Swindon Town, whilst Aymeric Laporte is restored to the starting line-up having been an unused substitute against the Robins.

Ruben Dias is surprisingly benched, along with Zack Steffen, Ilkay Gundogan and Gabriel Jesus. The missing Palmer and Ake had also been part of that starting XI at Swindon.

DOUBLE GAMEWEEK 22 LINE-UPS

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Laporte, Joao Cancelo, De Bruyne, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Sterling, Grealish, Foden.

Subs: Dias, Gundogan, Gabriel Jesus, Steffen, Fernandinho, Mbete-Tabu, McAtee, Lavia, Wilson-Esbrand.

Chelsea XI: Arrizabalaga, Sarr, Thiago Silva, Rudiger, Azpilicueta, Kante, Kovacic, Alonso, Ziyech, Pulisic, Lukaku.

Subs: Jorginho, Werner, Loftus-Cheek, Bettinelli, Saul, Barkley, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Havertz.

1,053 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Nate(U)dog(ie)
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Grealish hasn't been great but he has to settle, it's a huge step-up into a team like City, you'd swear he'd been there for years the way some people go on. His problem for me is that he's never been ruthless, if he has an opportunity to burst into space past a player he often prefers to ensure he holds onto the ball rather than take the chance, and far too often when in a good shooting position he prefers to pass sideways. But I'm sure Guardiola is working on that with him but it'll take time.

    Let's not forget City spent £63m on Rodri in 2019 and lots of people saw that as a complete waste of money, and he's probably been their best player this season (barring Cancelo).

    1. Critical Observer
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Truer words were seldom spoken around here.

    2. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Also, those calfs…..

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

      I'm not a fan of his alice band that seems to reflect his off field attitude too.

    4. OverTinker
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Everyone at City needs a year

    5. Grande Tubarão
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      I don’t like when he wears fancy coloured boots

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

      Great points

  2. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Hopefully Chelsea try to play a bit of football in the 2nd half, very boring team

    1. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Suprised they didn't postpone the 2nd half

  3. Eh, just one more thing ...
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Can Chelsea CS and Alonso discipline please survive until 61 mins and then get him subbed off please?

    1. Ze_Austin
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Jinx, almost

  4. DARE TO BISCAN
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Chelsea need to bring Mount on and start playing some football
    (based on me owning Mount & not watching the game 🙂 )

    1. Tasty Jerk
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      I am watching the game, and I also agree with this 🙂

  5. Ruinenlust
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Sterling dive

    1. OLD Rafiki
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      now is not the time to bring up this conversation......

  6. Eh, just one more thing ...
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Zyiech soooooo bad.

    1. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Yeah not sure what he’s seen there

    2. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Mount warming up yet?

  7. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Lukaku big chance, not a bad finish, good save

  8. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Ederson did really well there.

  9. CRO KLOPP
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Chelsea need 2 Kovacic in mid

  10. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Any sign of Dennis getting off the bus?

  11. Ruinenlust
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    Why didn’t Lukaku round the keeper?

  12. bigwig
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    What a save

  13. Shultan
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    These FPL hackers, who are they targeting, is it just high profile people or those at certain rank?!

    I'm at 500K so doing pretty badly anyway

    1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Probably another fantasy football hub leak

      1. Jafooli
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        *gets popcorn*

      2. @persecuted_by_mods
          2 years, 3 months ago

          Don't forget gravatar too

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

        People with weak/leaked passwords.

      4. Jafooli
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        You’re safe

      5. Grande Tubarão
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 2 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        You should be OK

      6. HashAttack
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        We should be safe, someone would have to be very sad to hack our teams and then waste time doing 1000 transfers

        1. Jafooli
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 3 months ago

          That would probably improve my rank…..

      7. Steve The Spud
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        And what’s the point ? Literally nothing to gain

      8. tiger
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        you are socially distanced from the hackers

        1. Shultan
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 3 months ago

          Lol I know no point ruining a team, when I'm doing a great job myself!!

      9. OLD Rafiki
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        they are preying on the weak.....

      10. Tasty Jerk
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        Not many options to protect against it at the moment, only mitigation is maybe having the longest most complex password possible 😀

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

        Still worth setting a new, unique password for FPL; do it now while it's top of mind

    2. Danno - Emre Canada
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Haha Zieyech running into a headwind

      1. Jafooli
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        Mount time?

        1. Jafooli
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 3 months ago

          That’s what she said….

      2. Meechoo115
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 2 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        Time for Werner

        1. Danno - Emre Canada
          • 9 Years
          2 years, 3 months ago

          Anyone time

    3. Ruinenlust
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Havertz one on one with Ederson - calmly rounds him and scores.

      Lukaku one on one with Ederson - fluffs it.

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

        Either trolling or blind. Ederson did very well. Came out early.

        1. Ruinenlust
          • 6 Years
          2 years, 3 months ago

          Why didn’t Lukaku round him?

          1. Steve The Spud
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 4 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            Had 3 players right behind him, it wasn’t an option as he’s need to slow down to do that

            1. Ruinenlust
              • 6 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              He could have easily used his strength to hold them off?

      2. Grande Tubarão
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 2 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        I don’t think you’ve seen much of Havertz

    4. Paul Psychic Octopus
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Don't really understand Tuchel's selections.

      Mount's energy and control in midfield far superior to Ziyech.

      As Chelsea only likely to score on the counter, even Werner instead of Pulisic would offer more pace.

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

        Tuchel had picked Ziyech a fair few times vs. Man City. Must be a reason for it.

        1. Ruinenlust
          • 6 Years
          2 years, 3 months ago

          Ziyech has 2 goals against them?

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

            Yes, that's my point.

        2. Paul Psychic Octopus
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          2 years, 3 months ago

          not any reason that makes much sense

    5. Eh, just one more thing ...
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Dias, Jesus and Gundo now warming up ….

      1. Eh, just one more thing ...
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        And Mount and Havertz too …

      2. OLD Rafiki
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        the war has already begun.....

    6. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Citeh offside pen

    7. Meechoo115
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Could have been Alonso red

      1. CRO KLOPP
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        Could have been Sterling YC

    8. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Alonso saved by the offside

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

        Sterling stuck his knee into Alonso. Not so sure about that one.

      2. Gizzachance
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        Been poor, take him off on 60 with cs hopefully

    9. Ruinenlust
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Another dive form Sterling

    10. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Phew

    11. Baines on Toast...
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      I say this every week but Raheem Sterling is a disgrace of a footballer.

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

        Literally zero intention or ability to get the ball into the net. All he does is run and fall over or score tap ins.

      2. OLD Rafiki
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        don't make me laugh

    12. Eh, just one more thing ...
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Chelsea all over the place ….

    13. My heart goes Salalalalah
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Chelsea asleep

    14. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Almost Azpi OG

    15. trick9
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      City giving Chelsea lots of chances to play the ball behind their line but final passes for Chelsea have been really poor.

      Baffling decision to go with Pulisic and Ziyech over Mount and Havertz/Werner.

    16. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Ziyech is definitely being subbed

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

        Hopefully. Been poor.

      2. Gizzachance
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        Alonso poor to

    17. The Senate
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      De Bruyne's plot armour prevents him from being booked

      1. The Senate
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        same for azpilicueta apparently

    18. Baines on Toast...
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Incredible how many cynical, professional fouls City get away with. A fundamental tenet of Guardiola football.