Fulham v Man City team news: Why Walker is benched

The Double Gameweek 37 curtain raiser features a team many of us are tripled up on.

Fulham v Manchester City gets underway at 12.30pm BST.

If one of your City contingent is Kyle Walker, look away now.

The defender is benched for the early kick-off at Craven Cottage, with Ruben Dias coming into the visitors’ starting XI.

“Nothing specific. Kyle didn’t train the last two days. Two days ago was partial [training]. We have a game on Tuesday and Ruben is so reliable in these type of games. That is why I have decided for this right now.” – Pep Guardiola on why Ruben Dias returns to his starting XI

That’s Pep Guardiola’s only alteration from the side he sent out to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend.

That means there are starts for well-owned Man City players Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol, as well as Ederson and Kevin De Bruyne.

John Stones again has to make do with a substitute role. He has started only one of City’s last eight league matches.

Julian Alvarez isalso on the bench but Jack Grealish misses out altogether with an illness.

As for Fulham, the injured Sasa Lukic is replaced by Bobby De Cordova-Reid.

GAMEWEEK 37 LINE-UPS

Fulham XI: Leno, Castagne, Diop, Bassey, Robinson, Iwobi, Palhinha, De Cordova-Reid, Pereira, Willian, Muniz.

Subs: Rodak, Tete, Reed, Jimenez, Wilson, Broja, Cairney, Traore, Ream.

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol, Rodri, Kovacic, Silva, De Bruyne, Foden, Haaland.

Subs: Walker, Stones, Doku, Ortega, Alvarez, Gomez, Luiz, Bobb, Lewis.