We’re 13 game weeks in now and the 2020/21 Fantasy Premier League season is really starting to hot up.
Must-have players have emerged and fans across the country are begrudgingly putting their faith in rival stars to beat their friends and move up the leaderboard.
Of course, there is always the temptation to load your team with players from the club you support. Luckily for City fans, that’s not such a bad idea!
City have been one of the dominant teams in the Premier League for the last decade, making players such as Sergio Agüero, Raheem Sterling and Yaya Toure essentials for any serious FPL player.
Today, we’re going to outline four Manchester City players you need in your team this season, to ensure a killer game week and brilliant long-term strategy.
Kevin De Bruyne — Midfield
City’s main man on the pitch is also their chief FPL points getter.
When picking premium players you want to ensure you’re not just getting in a silky footballer, but one that will have genuine creative or finishing impact within their team. We all love beautiful football, but FPL players love stats more.
Luckily for City fans looking to load their teams with Sky Blues, De Bruyne does both.
At the time of writing, he’s second in the Premier League assist table with six, showing City’s reliance on him for setting up chances. With two goals to his name, he might not be Harry Kane, but he’s showing he still has an eye for taking on a shot himself, especially as Agüero continues to struggle with injury.
One sign that De Bruyne might be someone you want to soon make into a mainstay in your team is his current odds to be PFA Player of the Year. Yes, we know it’s early, but it’s not hard to imagine the Belgian padding out his stats as the key essence of Guardiola’s team on the way to being named the standout footballer of the season — even if City themselves don’t match expectations.
At time of writing, the bookies have De Bruyne at the following odds to be PFA Player of the Year:
- Bet365 – 6/1
- SkyBet – 6/1
- Betway – 6/1
Of course, these odds are ever changing, so ensure you’re aware of them across all leading betting sites. This helpful list collates all the top betting sites in the UK, so you can ensure you’re getting the best odds and information.
Awards like this might not mean much to Fantasy players, but they signal a quality season full of points, and a good way to see who the bookies think is going to hit form.
Riyad Mahrez — Midfield
Every Premier League team has two primary creators leading the way in FPL.
Manchester United have Fernandes and Rashford. Spurs have Kane and Son. Everton have Calvert-Lewin and Digne.
For City, it’s De Bruyne and this man, Riyad Mahrez. The Algerian has stepped out of the shadow he’s found himself half cast in throughout his City career to really become one of the stars of this strange Premier League season.
No City player has won more FPL points than Mahrez except for his Belgian teammate, showing his value to the team and FPL players who placed their faith in him early.
Mahrez can be something of a streaky player in a City shirt. Real managers might not appreciate that, but a smart FPL manager can make great use of an £8 million player on a hot streak, soaking up points and selling at the perfect time for a profit.
With City struggling to get going this season, there may be more chances afoot for Mahrez, giving Fantasy players the opportunity to get the best out of him.
Ferran Torres — Midfield
One for the future. Ferran Torres might just be that player you brag to your mates about getting while he was still cheap.
City’s dominance means some attacking players often find themselves going under the radar. While he’s not having a star-making season just yet, Torres is quietly making himself very important to this City squad and, importantly for FPL players, picking up goals and assists as he goes.
After mainly breaking into the team in the Champions League group stages, Torres is starting to play more of a role in the Premier League, grabbing his first Premier League goal against Burnley. He’s showing an awareness and sharpness that was once typical of this City side but might be lacking from some of the players who have been here throughout Guardiola’s reign.
Torres isn’t going to be outclassing Son for points or become instant captain material. However, he is a great pick-up for the future. As City start to get into their stride and rotation becomes crucial, Torres will become a big player for both his club and FPL managers.
Phil Foden — Midfield
A great FPL manager is like an old school scout. They can spot a diamond in the rough and have their money on them becoming a star before anyone’s even heard their name.
While Phil Foden is hardly an unknown in English football, he can still be something of a wise pick up for tricky FPL players.
Foden’s points outrank a number of more expensive and bigger names in the City squad, including Sergio Aguero and Bernardo Silva. Currently costing just £6.4 million he’s a cheaper option than many less productive players. He won’t have been in many people’s Game Week 1 squads, and maybe shouldn’t be a permanent fixture in yours, but at the right moments, Foden can make a huge impact.
When City are playing a side closer to the bottom of the table and set to complete one of their routine 2-0, 3-0 or even 4-0 wins, Foden makes a brilliant addition to the squad. It’s these games where the teenager often comes on or even starts and nabs a goal or an assist as the opposition is tiring.
Just like a great Premier League team, FPL teams need squad players. Foden is a little pricey for a bench player, but a solid choice to return to throughout the season.
All that without mentioning Aguero, Sterling or Cancelo!
It feels like this City squad is changing, and that’s the case for FPL too. A great City-based FPL team this season needs a combination of stalwarts and emerging talent to get the best bang for your buck.
Disagree with our picks? Let us know which City players have you enjoyed using this season.
