Manchester City will be eager to return to winning ways when they take on Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
The Citizens drew 2-2 with Crystal Palace in the Premier League last time out to lose yet more ground in the title race.
Man City are also below par in the Champions League, sitting 20th in the table, with Juve level on eight points but two places below.
TBR Football looks at who Pep Guardiola could potentially name in his starting XI for the match at Juve’s Allianz Stadium.
Jeremy Doku of Manchester City (L) celebrates with Jack Grealish of Manchester City (C) and Ruben Dias of Manchester City (R)after scoring their 3r...
Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Manchester City team news v Juventus
Man City are expected to have both Phil Foden and Mateo Kovacic in the squad for the Juve clash.
Foden was back in training with the Citizenson Tuesday after missing several games due to bronchitis.
Meanwhile, Kovacic is back earlier than expected from an injury suffered during the last international break.
However, neither player is expected to start, with Guardiola telling reporters the best-case scenario is Kovacic getting a few minutes.
“I don’t think so. Maybe a few minutes for Kovacic but I don’t think so,” Pep said at his press conference on Tuesday.
“But it’s nice to have them here to the team, to the training sessions and to travel with us.”
Rico Lewis was sent off against Palace but his ban only applies to domestic games, so he could play against Juve.
Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji and John Stones remain on the sidelines.
Manchester City predicted XI v Juventus
The first change for Man City could come in between the sticks, with Ederson potentially returning to the starting XI ahead of Stefan Ortega.
The Brazil international has missed the last three matches for Man City but, with Guardiola hinting his first-choice keeper would be back at some point, the Juve game could be a good opportunity.
Guardiola hasn’t got much choice with regards to his back four so, despite poor form from the likes of Kyle Walker and Josko Gvardiol, the defence could remain unchanged from the weekend.
Jack Grealish did well in a midfield role against Nottingham Forest last week, so he could replace Kevin De Bruyne, who seems unlikely to start three games in a row.
Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva are likely to retain their places in midfield, while Jeremy Doku could come in on the left to give £53million man Matheus Nunes a rest ahead of Sunday’s derby.
Manchester City predicted starting XI v Juventus
Manchester City predicted starting XI v Juventus: Ederson; Walker, Dias, Gvardiol, Lewis; Gundogan, Grealish, Silva; Savinho, Haaland, Doku
The Champions League game between Juve and Man City is scheduled to kick off at 8pm on Wednesday 11 December at Turin’s Allianz Stadium.
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