Pep Guardiola looks set to shuffle his pack once again – as he considers further changes to his starting line-up ahead of a Premier League clash with Leicester City.
It may be indicative of their seemingly prolonged search for consistency that Manchester City have made more changes (46) to their starting line-up than any other club this season.
Manager Pep Guardiola is expected to continue this trend against champions Leicester City this weekend – with suspensions, injuries and the Spaniard’s tendency towards amelioration all influencing factors.
Subsequently, those City stars expected to miss out on starting spots, having started in last weekend’s capitulation against Chelsea, are likely to include Jesus Navas, Leroy Sane and the certain suspension absences of Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho.
Raheem Sterling is edging closer to a first team return and may be in contention for a place on City’s bench – alongside compatriot Fabian Delph, Captain Vincent Kompany continues his injury lay-off.
Having been rotated for the mid-week Champions League draw with Celtic, goalkeeper Claudio Bravo should be recalled in place of Willy Caballero – as City will hope to settle on a defensive unit that has only kept two clean sheets in 14 Premier League games under Guardiola.
In front of the summer signing from Barcelona, City look likely to return to a back four – consisting of the central defensive pairing of John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi, flanked by full backs Bacary Sagna and Aleksandar Kolarov.
In what may be seen as an attacking move, Fernandinho’s deep lying midfield role is expected to be filled by Ilkay Gundogan, in preference to Fernando. Consequently, Yaya Toure is able to return to the starting line-up after a two game pause in his recent rejuvenation. Toure was afforded 15 minutes as a substitute against Chelsea and was ineligible for the Champions League tie against Celtic.
Alongside Toure, City look like deploying the floating David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne, in addition to recalling forward Nolito – with the quartet all expected to support and supply Aguero’s replacement, Kelechi Iheanacho.
Iheanacho, 20, has scored 19 goals in 18 starts for City and so presents as a more than viable replacement for their usual talisman Aguero.
Here is Manchester City’s predicted line-up in full:
Meanwhile, Leicester City are expected to line-up with their tried and trusted 4-4-2 system, as Claudio Ranieri’s men attempt to rectify their awful recent form.
Aside from Wednesday’s 5-0 defeat to Porto in the Champions League, defending Premier League champions Leicester have only one point from their last 12 available – and currently languish in 16th position, having only tasted victory on three occasions from their 14 league games.
Ranieri is without the suspended Danny Drinkwater and the injured Kasper Schmeichel – meaning that second choice goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler continues to deputise.
Here is the predicted Leicester City line-up in full:
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