After defeat within the Champions League in the course of the week, Manchester Metropolis flip their attentions to a Premier League showdown with league leaders Liverpool on Sunday.
Arne Slot’s facet will journey to Manchester this weekend off the again of only one win of their final 4 matches in all competitions, however they are going to be welcomed by a Manchester Metropolis facet nonetheless reeling from a 6-3 combination defeat to Actual Madrid within the Champions League.
Pep Guardiola’s males have been bit with the harm bug as soon as once more after John Stones was substituted off in opposition to the Spanish giants within the second-leg, whereas Erling Haaland was ignored of the motion with a knee harm he suffered in opposition to Newcastle United final weekend.
There stays an opportunity that Stones might be topic to the identical destiny as Manuel Akanji in requiring surgical procedure on his quadricep drawback, though additional assessments and a remaining resolution will observe within the coming days.
Regardless of that air of negativity, Manchester Metropolis have received 5 of their final seven Premier League video games and have regained a foothold within the battle for the top-four after a woeful November and December.
With the persistent harm points in thoughts, let’s dig into how Pep Guardiola might set his Manchester Metropolis facet up for the highly-anticipated conflict with Premier League title hopefuls Liverpool this weekend!
Predicted XI
Ederson ought to take up his regular spot in between the sticks for Manchester Metropolis this weekend, regardless of Stefan Ortega Moreno seeing a while because the primary all through numerous moments this season.
With a contemporary harm setback for John Stones confirmed, the Sky Blues will probably be compelled into rolling out pure full-backs as soon as once more which might imply Rico Lewis could rejoin the fray after a stellar efficiency in opposition to Newcastle final day out within the Premier League.
Abdukodir Khusanov has seemingly labored his method into the image for normal beginning minutes, and he ought to transfer again into the centre after beginning at right-back in opposition to Actual Madrid earlier within the week.
In the meantime, Ruben Dias would be the lynchpin of the defensive core and after a shaky opening few moments in opposition to Actual Madrid in midweek, the Portugal worldwide recovered to result in his normal management and stability on the coronary heart of the rearguard.
With little or no options within the left-sided full-back place, and amid the nice type of the Croatian worldwide throughout competitions significantly in an attacking sense, we consider the position will as soon as once more be handed to Josko Gvardiol.
As we head into the engine room of the Manchester Metropolis group, Nico Gonzalez appears to be like poised to anchor the midfield within the basic Rodri position for the rest of the season after a vastly encouraging begin to life on the membership.
Alongside of the previous Porto man would be the industrious pairing of Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic who, regardless of their numerous struggles thus far this season, will probably be tasked with battling an athletic Liverpool midfield.
On the suitable of Manchester Metropolis’s front-three will probably be Phil Foden, who has had the propensity to vanish from video games this season, however he stays a serious spark-plug for Pep Guardiola if he’s on his sport.
Erling Haaland might be again match after sitting out in the course of the week however on the time of writing this text stays topic to evaluation on Saturday, and he would return to his rightful residence on the head of the Manchester Metropolis assault.
Omar Marmoush has been a stable performer for Manchester Metropolis in latest weeks, although he has benefitted most from the presence of Erling Haaland. With the earlier prediction that the Norwegian will return, our quantity seven ought to occupy the left-wing/second striker position.
Predicted XI: Ederson; Lewis, Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol; Nico, Kovacic, Bernardo; Foden, Haaland, Marmoush.
Substitutes: Ortega Moreno, Nunes, Reis, Ake, Gundogan, De Bruyne, McAtee, Savinho, Doku.