Manchester Metropolis return to Premier League motion on Saturday night as they welcome relegation-threatened Leeds United to the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola will demand a response from his facet after his a centesimal Champions League match answerable for Metropolis resulted in a disappointing 2-0 defeat towards Bayer Leverkusen.
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That end result got here simply days after his facet fell to a 2-1 defeat within the Premier League towards Newcastle United, which ended Metropolis’s four-match profitable streak in all competitions.
Metropolis head into this weekend’s showdown seven factors behind league leaders Arsenal and only one off second-placed Chelsea.
With the London rivals set to lock horns in a top-of-the-table conflict on Sunday, Metropolis can not afford to slide up towards a relegation-battling facet, and the percentages are of their favour.
Guardiola’s facet have received their final 4 consecutive Premier League video games towards Leeds, having managed only one win from their earlier seven conferences between January 2001 and April 2021.
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as he hopes to halt their dropping streak earlier than it turns into a much bigger downside.
How Man Metropolis may line up
Guardiola admitted that making 10 modifications to his staff forward of the sport towards Leverkusen was the foundation reason for their midweek capitulation.
However he could also be compelled to do the identical towards Leeds on Saturday, with quite a lot of heavy-hitters set to return to the primary staff.
Gianluigi Donnarumma ought to exchange James Trafford in aim behind a well-known again 4 of 20-year-old Nico O’Reilly, Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias, and Matheus Nunes.
Guardiola confirmed throughout his press convention that Rodri continues to be out, and the identical may be mentioned for Mateo Kovacic, who’s dealing with a prolonged spell within the infirmary with an ankle harm.
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Nico Gonzalez ought to return to the bottom of midfield of their absence, whereas Rayan Cherki, who Guardiola has described as an “” participant, returns to the entrance line.
He’ll probably be joined by Jeremy Doku, Phil Foden, and Bernardo Silva, with Premier League prime scorer Erling Braut Haaland main the road, seeking to web his a centesimal league aim.