Manchester City will welcome Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night as they look to secure a positive result in the third round of the EFL Cup. The Mancunian giants managed to earn a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Fulham recently despite playing the majority of that game with ten men.
Pep Guardiola will set his team up in a 4-2-3-1 formation and could make a few changes to his starting XI for this game. Sergio Gomez, Cole Palmer and Phil Foden will probably play from the start as Guardiola looks to rest some of his first-team starters for this cup clash at home.
4-2-3-1 Manchester City Predicted Lineup To Face Chelsea
Defence
Stefan Ortega will feature in between the sticks for the Mancunian club as Ederson gets a well-deserved rest on the bench. Ruben Dias will resume his defensive partnership with Aymeric Laporte at the centre of Guardiola’s defence as they try to keep a clean sheet versus the Blues in midweek.
Rico Lewis will fill in at right-back while Sergio Gomez looks to catch the eye as the left-back. Guardiola will ask both of them to be adventurous with their runs out on the wide areas and create some clear-cut chances on the attacking third of the pitch.
Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji will be rested on the bench as they offer cover for the defensive positions.
Midfield
Rodri and Cole Palmer will function as the central midfielders as they focus on dominating the ball at the centre of the park. The gifted trio of Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez will function just ahead of them as part of Man City’s attack.
Both Grealish and Mahrez will have to find a way to stretch the Chelsea defence out on the flanks.
Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri will be available for selection on the bench as they wait for their chance to impress in the second half if required.
Attack
Julian Alvarez will once again get a chance to lead the charge for the Mancunian giants in the final third. The Argentine attacker would be eager to put in a good display by finding the back of the net in this midweek cup clash.
Erling Haaland will have to settle for a spot on the bench but might come on in the final quarter of the game if Man City are in need of a goal by then.
