Dugout Discussion

Arsenal v Man City team news: Saliba + Trossard start, Saka a sub

21 September 2025 770 comments
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The final match of Gameweek 5 takes place at the Emirates Stadium this afternoon, as Arsenal take on Manchester City.

Kick-off is at 16:30 BST.

TEAM NEWS

Mikel Arteta makes two changes to the side that beat Athletic Club 2-0 on Tuesday.

William Saliba comes in for Cristhian Mosquera at the back, while Leandro Trossard is preferred to Eberechi Eze on the left.

Bukayo Saka returns as a substitute following his hamstring injury, but Martin Odegaard is not in the squad.

As for City, they are unchanged from the team that beat Napoli 2-0 in midweek.

LINE-UPS

Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Merino, Rice, Madueke, Trossard, Gyokeres

Subs: Kepa, Mosquera, White, Saka, Eze, Martinelli, Norgaard, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly

Manchester City XI: Donnarumma, Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Rodri, Reijnders, Foden, Bernardo, Doku, Haaland

Subs: Trafford, Stones, Ake, Nico, Savinho, Nunes, Bobb, Mukasa, Lewis

READ MORE: FPL notes: Palmer injury latest + why Sanchez isn’t flagged
READ MORE: FPL notes: Why Slot benched Wirtz + Isak, Grealish + Ekitike good
READ MORE: FPL notes: Sarr return, Pino worry + West Ham’s set-piece woes

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  1. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 months, 1 hour ago

    63 points, benched 14 but no BB.

    Back to where I was before last week's slip up.

    Wildcard active, hope for some more price changes.

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  2. fedolefan
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 1 hour ago

    That piece of work Watkins is likely to drop in price again right? Have the money to get Gyok.

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    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      I'm keeping

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  3. TafOnTour1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 1 Year
    3 months, 1 hour ago

    Saka back is incredibly interesting. Might get him in as a differential.

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  4. White Pony
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 months, 1 hour ago

    Planning on saving FT, what do you think?

    Roefs
    VDV Senesi Andersen
    Salah Semenyo Kudus Ndiaye
    Haaland(TC) JP Mateta

    Dub | King Mukiele Richards

    Biggest concern is Reijnders.

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  5. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
    • 9 Years
    3 months, 1 hour ago

    Enzo -> Foden -4?

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    1. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      Meh

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    2. #1 Salah Hater
      • 1 Year
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      Did you watch the game? Foden was anonymous then rightly got hooked. Enzo guaranteed 90 per week, Foden 70 + the occasional random benching.

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  6. MetallicaJack93
    • 2 Years
    3 months, 1 hour ago

    Would you take Palmer out?

    Rest of attack is Semenyo Caicedo Reijnders King Haaland Gyokeres Pedro

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  7. Bobby Crush
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 1 hour ago

    not sure saka or foden are that interesting yet

    palmer would be if he wasn't struggling with that groin

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    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      Saka looked a little bit off the pace.

      He's also pretty expensive. I'd pick Bruno first.

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      1. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 11 Years
        3 months, 1 hour ago

        W ham soon though

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      2. Bobby Crush
        • 11 Years
        3 months, 49 mins ago

        Bruno will never be in my team.

        Agree on Saka. He didn't look ready. And as Madueke was their most dangerous player, it was a weird sub too.

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  8. ☈☾
    • 8 Years
    3 months, 1 hour ago

    Does Reinildo miss GW8?

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    1. Bigbars
      • 14 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      as its violent conduct, 3 game ban so yep, back GW9

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      1. ☈☾
        • 8 Years
        3 months, 1 hour ago

        No mid week games in between?

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        1. Bigbars
          • 14 Years
          3 months, 1 hour ago

          They were knocked out in the 1st round by my team Huddersfield so no midweek cup game

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          1. Bigbars
            • 14 Years
            3 months, 1 hour ago

            I'm in the same boat, so will probably ship him as I also have AWB missing also, and Estuve playing City so wont be playing him and de cuyper injured

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  9. adstomko
    • 9 Years
    3 months, 1 hour ago

    A little gutted I swapped the armband from Haaland to Semenyo, but think it made sense before the deadline, with Newcastle & City both playing last Thursday night.

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  10. Sgt. Schultz
    • 9 Years
    3 months, 1 hour ago

    7.9m > 5.9m
    top 100k - Here I Come ! 😀

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    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      Momentum!

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    2. villa_til_i_die
      • 14 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      Great stuff!

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  11. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 1 hour ago

    Shall I get semenyo or Saka ? Cheers.

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    1. ☈☾
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      Semenyo

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      1. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 11 Years
        3 months, 1 hour ago

        Cheers

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  12. Royal5
    • 14 Years
    3 months, 1 hour ago

    Having an awful start to the season stuck around 1.5 mill atm. Anyone know the average?

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    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      Average what ?

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    2. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      I got 44 (48-4) pts, 43 was safety score around 4 million.

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      1. Royal5
        • 14 Years
        3 months, 1 hour ago

        48 here too :/

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    3. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      Elite 48.72

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      1. Baps Hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 months, 1 hour ago

        Overall 41.19

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      2. Royal5
        • 14 Years
        3 months, 1 hour ago

        How has your season started out?

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        1. Baps Hunter
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 months, 1 hour ago

          Badly 😉 Around million atm, but all chips intact. At least the "Great and the Good" aren't doing any better. I would have been 4th in that league before this gw.

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          1. Baps Hunter
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            3 months, 1 hour ago

            Around 4M

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          2. Royal5
            • 14 Years
            3 months, 1 hour ago

            Aha, Got all the chips my self. Feel my team always is a bit too good to WC, but a few players have been a disaster. Watkins, Wood, Wirtz and Gako to name some. Add Munoz and Porro.

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    4. White Pony
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      That’s not even a bad rank at this stage.

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      1. Royal5
        • 14 Years
        3 months, 1 hour ago

        Maybe not.. but still one of my worst starts. All chips unused though. Wirtz, Gakpo and Wood (Watkins) have made it difficoult

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    5. Saka White Rice
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      Most experts are doing worse than that so I wouldn't worry

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      1. Royal5
        • 14 Years
        3 months, 1 hour ago

        Is that so? That helps. Way down on my ML’s

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  13. Baps Hunter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 months, 1 hour ago

    I have to admit that I didn't see Reijnders getting defcon points and expected him to get only 2 or 3 pts. Last on my bench.

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    1. Sgt. Schultz
      • 9 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      Played Wirtz over him. Fortunately was on BB

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      1. Baps Hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 months, 1 hour ago

        Fortunately I wasn't. Sanchez on my bench -3 and the two others +3 total.

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        1. Sgt. Schultz
          • 9 Years
          3 months, 1 hour ago

          Swerved that disaster. Bringing Haaland in this GW?

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  14. Under my Cucurella
    • 10 Years
    3 months, 1 hour ago

    Thinking Salah Watkins > (TC)Haaland Grealish. Just a few things I'm still considering

    A: Do the transfers now to avoid price changes
    B: Wait until nearer the deadline for any news

    1: Get Grealish
    2: Get Ndiaye
    3: Get somebody else (want to keep some money ITB to upgrade Wood to Gyokeres GW7)
    4: WC instead

    Sels Dub
    Cucu Porro Lacroix De Cuyper Esteve
    Salah Bruno Semenyo Reijnders PMSarr
    Watkins Pedro Wood

    2FT 0.4ITB

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  15. MetallicaJack93
    • 2 Years
    3 months, 1 hour ago

    Would you take Palmer out?

    And who for

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    1. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      If he is injured. Mbo, Kudus, Xavi, Foden

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    2. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      Bruno, Semenyo or downgrade for a good fwd.

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    3. ☈☾
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      Semenyo

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  16. Wolfman180
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 1 hour ago

    I know Haaland TC will be popular gw6 but does he actually score many goals against low block teams as opposed to running onto long balls or similar to his goal today. I could be wrong but wasnt that the problem last year gw9 when he played Southampton was it? And he was a TC fail.

    I've seen arguments for going TC, ie play it before Champs League kicks off properly etc but I feel like he could easily blank against Burnley Def. On the other hand though, if he gets a hattrick then ppl will say of course it was against Burnley.

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    1. Bigbars
      • 14 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      I fear he will be marked out of the game, but I'm also thinking that for once with us having 2x chips this season.. I will just risk it go all in and TC haaland, if it backfires, we'll get another one next year. There's no guarantees in life, well apart from death and taxes.

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    2. Four Letter Wirtz
      • 9 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      There's definitely more GWs for Haaland to shine, for example:
      @Brentford gw7, the Leeds (13), Sunderland (15) and West Ham (19), all at home. Of these, only the West Ham gameweek is free from UCL midweek interference, I think.

      On the other hand, he's healthy and focused now, his supporting cast is reasonably well bedded in, and City will be mad about dropping points today.

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      1. Bigbars
        • 14 Years
        3 months, 1 hour ago

        True, but Personally, as I normally save the chips for the later part of the season, I want to go a different tact and get rid of them early, the burden of deciding when to use is heavy. I think of those, West Ham maybe are the only whipping boys, Leeds is his city of birth, he may go easy on them, brentford and sunderland are resolute defending

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  17. sminkypinky
    • 14 Years
    3 months, 1 hour ago

    Free hit last week
    WC this week
    Triple captain next week

    I’m reckless I tell you. Reckless!

    Tbh so far so good.

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    1. luke
      • 15 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      Similar thing to you - killing it. Reckon we will fall off though

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    2. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      3 months, 1 hour ago

      Haaland TC?

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  18. Garfield1001
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 1 hour ago

    Would you wildcard this team - 2 FTs

    Sanchez Dubravka
    Murillo Williams Richards Esteve Porro
    Salah Reijnders Bruno Rogers Sarr
    Watkins Wood JSL

    Thanks

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    1. Moon Dog
        3 months, 1 hour ago

        Probably yeah

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      • Royal5
        • 14 Years
        3 months, 1 hour ago

        Tough. I think so. Forwards need a lot of work.

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      • Sgt. Schultz
        • 9 Years
        3 months, 1 hour ago

        WC now

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      • Yes Ndidi
        • 6 Years
        3 months, 1 hour ago

        Murillo, Williams, Rogers, Sarr, Watkins, Wood, JSL all need to go.
        So probably yes. You still keep your 2 transfers and if you WC properly that'll increase, so you can still be flexible down the line

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    2. Punned It
        3 months, 1 hour ago

        Salah out, Haaland in. Which mid for Salah? Considering Kudus, Bergvall, PM Sarr, Gravenberch, Anthony, Minteh and I guess Bruno, but not really sold on anyone.

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        1. ☈☾
          • 8 Years
          3 months, 1 hour ago

          Semenyo

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          1. Punned It
              3 months, 1 hour ago

              Got him.

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        2. Atimis
          • 9 Years
          3 months, 1 hour ago

          Would like to do Watkins to Haaland already tonight but need to sell Salah first. Wait closer until deadline? Not sure about Palmer situation, also could be picking Saka, Eze, Foden/Doku instead.

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          1. ☈☾
            • 8 Years
            3 months, 1 hour ago

            Haaland will double rise if you wait

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          2. Bigbars
            • 14 Years
            3 months, 1 hour ago

            I'd at least wait to hear what pep says about the substitution, was it preemptive or tactical. I personally dont do early transfers as things can change throughout the week, issue in training, etc.... And just accept that I have to swallow any price changes

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            1. Bigbars
              • 14 Years
              3 months, 1 hour ago

              But caveat is I already have haaland so just my opinion

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            2. Yes Ndidi
              • 6 Years
              3 months, 1 hour ago

              I think by that time Pep was in full-on George Graham mode and was desperate to keep the 1-0. You'll find out soon enough if it was anything other than tactical

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          3. Atimis
            • 9 Years
            3 months, 1 hour ago

            It would be just silly to then hear that Palmer is injuries, also it would be silly not getting him if he’s fit to play against Brighton…

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            1. Four Letter Wirtz
              • 9 Years
              3 months, 1 hour ago

              I don't have Palmer, but I do have triple Chelsea and will probably ship out one or two this week ... the whole injury/subbing debacle has me doubting Maresca a bit

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        3. TafOnTour1
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 1 Year
          3 months, 1 hour ago

          Anybody else getting Saka in?!

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          1. hardrock1
            • 16 Years
            3 months, 1 hour ago

            Seriously considering, looked sharp and fit

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