With just one victory in their past nine games, Pep Guardiola’s team is still in the middle of a slump in all competitions. The Etihad Stadium team was most recently held to a 2-2 draw in the Premier League at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace.
Within five minutes, Daniel Munoz gave the home team the lead, and then Erling Haaland headed in an equalizer after Matheus Nunes’ cross. Maxence Lacroix gave Palace the lead again in the second half, but a clever Rico Lewis finish negated it.
Therefore mentioned England international was sent off with a second yellow card and was suspended for Sunday’s home derby match against Manchester United, complicating the match in the final moments.
With Lewis’ ban compounding the problems Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake, and John Stones are facing on the list of players undergoing treatment, the team is becoming increasingly thin due to fitness and injury concerns.
Rico Lewis, however, will be eligible for Wednesday night’s match against Juventus and will undoubtedly help Manchester City halt the bleeding following a crucial equalizing goal against Crystal Palace. It will be his third goal against the Eagles and his third for the senior squad.
For Wednesday’s match in Turin, Italy, Mateo Kovacic and Phil Foden have also been added back to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City lineup after recovering from bronchitis and an injury they suffered while playing for their country, respectively.
Let’s examine how Manchester City might line up against the Serie A powerhouses for a pivotal UEFA Champions League match under the lights at the Allianz Stadium in light of those injuries and suspensions!
predicted XI
In the Premier League, Ederson has been a backup for Stefan Ortega Moreno at Manchester City, but the Brazil international goalie ought to return to the starting lineup for this game.
Rico Lewis, who is suspended for this weekend’s Manchester derby against Ruben Amorim’s team, should start on the right of Manchester City’s defensive line and assume his typical right-back position.
Since there is essentially only one senior center-back available for this game, we anticipate that young player Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, who has played in the center of defense throughout the continuing injury problem, will join Ruben Dias.
Naturally, Josko Gvardiol is left out on his typical left-flank, but despite multiple opportunities in front of goal, his efficacy has decreased during Manchester City’s recent form dip.
The absence of Mateo Kovacic and Rodri due to injury has made midfield a nightmare for Pep Guardiola throughout the current campaign, though the latter is anticipated to be in the matchday squad in Turin.
Pep Guardiola has stated that Kovacic is not expected to play a major role in the midfield trio, thus Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan will continue to hold down the fort in the deeper areas.
Jack Grealish, who did not start against Crystal Palace over the weekend, is our pick to make the unexpected call in the middle of the pitch. But his strong midfield performance against Nottingham Forest might have given him a fresh lease on life.
Savinho ought to be on the right wing. The Brazilian has made an effort, but it hasn’t been easy to get his name on the scoreboard. However, it should not be long before the former Girona man’s doors open.
Erling Haaland is the one who passes through the center. After a recent slump, the striker is starting to find his shooting form again, which might significantly alter the outcome for the defending Premier League champions.
Due to Juventus’ inexperienced defensive line, Belgium speedster Jeremy Doku has been excellent for City in recent weeks. The Sky Blues might really benefit from his dexterity down the left wing.
Ederson, Lewis, Dias, Simpson-Pusey, Gvardiol, Gundogan, Bernardo, Grealish, Savinho, Haaland, and Doku are the players in the predicted starting lineup.
Ortega Moreno, Walker, Hudson, Wilson-Esbrand, Wright, O’Reilly, Kovacic, De Bruyne, Nunes, McAtee, and Foden are substitutes.
