v Lyon

Quick posting – time constraints and a quick-turn-around of fixtures ‘n’ all…

v Lyon

Parc Olympique Lyonnais / Groupama Stadium (sponsors name)

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from starting line-up in the last game: 10/11).

Fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-5-1 / 4-3-3:

____________________Aguero____________________

Sane____________________________________Mahrez

___________D.Silva____________Foden____________

__________________Fernandinho__________________

Danilo____________________________________Walker

____________Stones__________Kompany___________

____________________Ederson____________________

Subs: Muric, Zinchenko, Otamendi, Laporte, Delph, Diaz, Sterling.

Ederson has the gloves.

I can see a little team rotation for this game following our last league game being just 3 days earlier and I think we’ll see an almost completely different back-4, with only Kyle being asked to ‘go again’; joined by experienced Vinny, rested John and with Danilo taking up a left-wing-back slot.

Fernandinho likely to start in front of those but, if the game suits, I can see him being subbed not long after half time. He needs a rest!

Leroy & David, I think, both get starts again but joined by a rare-starting-place for Phil...and Riyad to come in for Raheem, who gets some well-earned ‘time on the side’ after a busy & fruitful time for both City & England and before domestic work starts again on Saturday.

Sergio to ‘go again’ also.

Aro is the keeper insurance; Oleksandr, Nicholas, Aymeric & Fabian give Pep cover-options at left-wing-back, central defence, defensive midfield and left-sided, attacking midfield. Brahim & Raheem (sounds like that should be some kind of shop) provide more-advanced change-options from ‘the 7’.

Notable absences:

-       Claudio Bravo – Injured long-term and possibly the rest of the season.

-       Benjamin Mendy – Injured for around 11 weeks.

-       Ilkay Gundogan – Not travelled – not being risked following a small issue with a bone in his foot.

-       Bernardo Silva – Not travelled as still recovering from injury from last week and, apparently, not far away off a return. Was expected to be out for this one; possibly back for Saturday’s league game.

-       Kevin De Bruyne – Injured for about another 4-½ weeks.

-       Gabriel Jesus – Not travelled and, apparently, is due to a little bit of a muscle problem late on in training. However, I’ve got to go with my ‘City instincts’ - I could be wrong but I thought he looked a bit fed up to me on Saturday after coming on late in the game, where he got a very late assist. Watch this space…perhaps he needs some ‘Guardiola head management’ time because of a lack of first team chances? I’m guessing of course.

Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?

Apart from Vinny’s slowing pace being of some concern, I’ve no issues with the quality and positioning of any of those players.

Result? We [now] know these are a good outfit following our early defeat at home and they do sit 2^nd in their domestic league. They play with a high tempo and love to test & stretch the defence. I expect similar and perhaps even more so, especially on ‘their patch’ and knowing themselves that they can get at and beat us.

As for us - and despite injuries forcing us to involve personnel who wouldn’t have necessarily played otherwise - we’ll be more ‘switched on’ to how our hosts play and I can’t see them rocking us onto our heals quite as much as they did in the first encounter.

All things considered? I think this’ll be a score draw.

Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result…

Prediction: N/A.

Result: N/A.

Expected weather conditions during the game: Nothing much happening really – dry, chilly at around 4 or 5C and barely a breeze.