Manchester City will play hosts to Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday afternoon hoping to bounce back from their 1-0 loss away at Southampton last weekend. The Citizens need to find some form in the Premier League so that they are full of confidence when they resume their UEFA Champions League campaign next month.
Pep Guardiola is expected to rest some of his senior stars, but should once again set-up his team in a 4-3-3 formation later this week. Phil Foden might get the nod to start in this midweek showdown versus the Magpies.
4-3-3 Manchester City Predicted Lineup To Face Newcastle United
Defence
Ederson should keep his place in goal for the Citizens despite failing to secure a clean sheet versus the Saints on Sunday. Kyle Walker is expected to return at right-back after sitting out of the game last weekend. Benjamin Mendy might get the nod to operate on the other side as the left-back. Both of them will look to push high up the pitch so that they can provide some decent service from the wide areas.
Eric Garcia will resume his defensive partnership with Aymeric Laporte at the heart of the Man City defence as they try to keep Newcastle’s Dwight Gayle in check later this week. Joao Cancelo, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Nicolas Otamendi will all be available for selection on Guardiola’s bench.
Midfield
The Citizens midfield could be comprised of Ilkay Gundogan, Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne as Guardiola looks to freshen things up at the centre of the park following his side’s disappointing defeat at the St. Mary’s Stadium. David Silva, Fernandinho and Bernardo Silva got a start in that game but failed to give a good account of themselves, so they can expect to be named on the bench in midweek.
De Bruyne has been enjoying a rich vein of form in the Premier League of late. Thus, the Belgian playmaker will fancy his chances of causing all sorts of problems for the Magpies defence that had shipped in two goals versus West Ham United on Sunday.
Attack
Phil Foden could get another chance to shine as a free-flowing wide player on the left side of the Man City frontline. Riyad Mahrez will hope to return to his goal-scoring ways down the right flank while Raheem Sterling operates as a makeshift forward down the middle.
Guardiola could either use the English speedster as a false nine striker or give him the freedom to use his pace as a centre-forward. He managed to find the back of the net in his last league start at the Etihad, so Newcastle would have to be wary of his goal-threat in midweek.
