Time for some rest and rotation against Exeter City

It could backfire on us to play a lot of EDS players together, along with others who have had very few minutes under their belts. It could also be seen as being a bit disrespectful to our League One visitors.

Pep has suggested that he won’t do that and, instead, he will rest just two or three first team players for today’s cup clash.

But regardless of it being potentially risky or possibly disrespectful, our recent performances have looked somewhat jaded at times and a lack of edge and finishing up front suggests mental fatigue as well as physical tiredness. Then there’s the mounting injuries to consider and the packed fixture list ahead.

I’m going to suggest more than just two or three changes this afternoon…

v Exeter City

Etihad Stadium

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game which, for me blog wise, was our home game against Chelsea: 10/11).

Plenty of room for error here in my predictions…

A very fluid 4-1-5-0 / 4-6-0 / 4-3-3 (occasional 3-7-0):

______________________________________________

 

____________________Foden_____________________

__Heskey____________________________McAidoo__

 

_________Mukasa_________________Cherki________

 

_____________________Rodri____________________

O’Reilly__________________________________Lewis

___________Alleyne____________Khusanov________

 

 

____________________Trafford____________________

Subs: Donnarumma, Nunes, Ake, Gonzalez, Reijnders, Silva, Doku, Semenyo and Haaland.

James takes the gloves, I would expect, for this domestic cup encounter - possible one of two back-to-back games the England Under-21 keeper will play before league football resumes next weekend.

My back-4, occasional 3, prediction is Nico-O-, Max, Abdukodir and Rico.

Seeing just 32 minutes of last Wednesday night’s game; I’m going for Rodders to start this one in order to aid his return to full fitness. Gonzalez needs a break but is likely to see the last ½-hour or so of action should Rodri start.

Ahead of the Ballon d’Or winner is my biggest area for change that I’m going to suggest, with Reigan, Divine, Rayan-C-, Ryan and Phil as an attacking 5; with the latter in a ‘false 9’ role similar to how I recall him playing at the Accu Stadium back in September.

Gianluigi steps to the side for this game as reserve stopper; Matheus and Nathan make up just two defenders on the bench. Nico-G-, Tijjani and Bernardo are a trio of midfielders in ‘the 9’; two wingers come in the shape of Jeremy and new signing, Antoine, while Erling is the lone striker on the side.

Notable absences:

-       Marcus Bettinelli – Not selected.

-       Stefan Ortega – Not selected.

-       Rayan Ait-Nouri – Away on international duty.

-       Kalvin Phillips – Not selected.

-       John Stones – A minor thigh issue has now turned into something that will apparently take X-amount of months to resolve.

-       Josko Gvardiol – Out with a fractured tibia, for which he has had surgery. I’m taking that as “season over”, or almost, for the Croatan international.

-       Ruben Dias – Out with a hamstring injury and will be 4 to 6-weeks from 6^th January.

And it just goes on and on and on…

-       Mateo Kovacic – Recovering from secondary surgery to clean up some calcification in his ankle. Months ago, an expected return date was given as “February 2026” – basically, next month. 🤞

-       Oscar Bobb – Out with a muscular / hamstring issue. Unknown return date.

-       Savinho – Out with an unspecified leg injury. However, what was revealed on 7^th January was that it will be 6 to 8-weeks before we could see the Brazilian international winger back in consideration for a matchday squad.

-       Omar Marmoush – Away on international duty.

All of a sudden, that list is so reminiscent of last season’s injury nightmare. 🙄😟

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

Why the heck not, I say.

There’s enough talent and experience there for this fixture, I would have thought.

Result?

Exeter sit practically in the middle of their league table (14^th) with mixed results in their last 6 that reflects that middling status (L W L W W D). Their top goalscorer is 22-year-old Jayden Wareham with 8-league goals from 24 played, while chief creator is Finnish international winger, Ilmari Niskanen.

They don’t score many with just 25-league goals from those 24 matches played but they are a tight outfit. Conceding just 23, there are only two other sides in the division with a slightly better defensive record and they sit 5^th and 7^th in the table.

How much of that is down to having an ex-international central defender as manager, one who has been with them since October 2022, I don’t know but there’s some logic to that theory.

Will they score? Huh…after what I’ve just written about their lack of goals; with this being an F.A. Cup tie and with our defensive injuries / quick patch-up work at the back? I’d say there’s a decent chance. 😄

Will we score more? Despite us being a bit ‘shot shy’ recently and facing up to a seemingly organised defence; I would say so…surely.

I’m going for a home win this afternoon (3:00pm KO GMT).

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

Prediction: N/A

Result: N/A

Expected weather conditions during the game: After a mixed week and snow and ice followed by some damp in the area, where we got off lightly compared to large parts of the UK, Saturday’s game is greeted by calm, sunny skies. It’ll be cold though, with temperatures peaking no higher than 2C. That then slips away to around zero when travelling away from the stadium… ☀️️😎🧣🧥🧤🍵🥧🍺⚽

Solidarity

One of those dangerous scenarios or…

…an opportunity to take advantage.

Will our visitors be feeling the effects of the turmoil that continues to surround their turbulent club or will a change in manager, albeit a temporary one, give their players a lift?

I don’t like these games…

v Chelsea

Etihad Stadium

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game: 9/11.

A very fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 (occasional 3-6-1):

____________________Haaland____________________

 

 

__Doku_________________________________Cherki__

 

_________Silva(C)_________________Foden__________

 

_____________________Rodri_____________________

O’Reilly___________________________________Nunes

__________Gvardiol______________Dias(VC)__________

 

 

__________________Donnarumma_________________

Subs: Trafford, Lewis, Ake, Khusanov, Gray, Mukasa, Reijnders, McAidoo and Heskey.

Gigi in net.

Most of the back 4 could do with a rest and following this match they’ll get a full week off; with some perhaps not even taking part in next Saturday’s 3^rd-round F.A. Cup fixture. That being the case, I think Guardiola will ask his trusted first pick defence to simply, ‘go again’. (ERROR WRITING THAT AND THANK YOU TO A FRIEND FOR POINTING THAT OUT. I THINK IT WAS PARTLY DOWN TO ME NOT PLANNING A PRE-MATCH BLOG POSTING FOR OUR GAME AGAINST BRIGHTON ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT).

So, that’ll be Nico-O-, Josko, Ruben and Matheus all holding the line ahead of their keeper.

Our manager said there was a need to ease Rodri back slowly and carefully following his return to action in midweek and that suggests a start against Chelsea just wouldn’t be risked. However, what do we do? Who do we put there? Gonzalez may well not have recovered from a knock to the knee just 3 days ago, I don’t know, and there’s no Mateo Kovacic either, of course. John Stones has played there before and done well but he’s out too. I suppose he could try Matheus Nunes there and put either Lewis or Khusanov at right-wing back but I’m going for Rodders to start this evening (5:30pm KO GMT). 🤷‍♂️

I’m putting Jeremy, Bernardo, Phil and Rayan-C- as attacking midfielders / wingers all behind Erling.

James continues as reserve stopper before a likely start next weekend; Rico, Nathan and Abdukodir make up three defenders on the bench. Three midfielders come in the shape of Charlie, Divine and Tijjani, while Ryan and Reigan give us two wide / attacking options in ‘the 9’. That is a very young bench.

Notable absences:

-       Marcus Bettinelli – Not selected.

-       Stefan Ortega – Not selected.

-       Rayan Ait-Nouri – Away on international duty.

-       Kalvin Phillips – Not selected.

-       John Stones – Out with a thigh injury but it was said on 12^th December that the England defender isn’t expected to be missing for long. It has been almost a month now after we were given the impression that it wasn’t a major issue. 🤷‍♂️

-       Mateo Kovacic – Recovering from secondary surgery to clean up some calcification in his ankle. Expected return is around February 2026.

-       Nico Gonzalez – Presumed injured with a knee issue after a first half knock last Thursday, where the Spanish Under-21 international was replaced at half time.

-       Oscar Bobb – Out with a muscular / hamstring issue. Unknown return date.

-       Savinho – Out with a yet undisclosed leg injury. All I know, as I prep this, is that his manager has said that it, “…doesn’t look good”.

-       Omar Marmoush – Away on international duty.

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

Yep.

Result?

Last Thursday night was a game of half-chances and missed opportunities, as well as facing a side every bit as tough as I thought they would be. That’s only the fourth time we’ve failed to score this season in all competitions.

Some of our players just didn’t rise to the challenge of facing a side who continue to remain unbeaten at home, while others suffered injuries. 🙄 I suppose all things considered, we should be grateful for the point. It was one of those rare, crackin’ 0-0’ers though, I thought.

As for today’s opponents, I was skim-reading last season’s pre-match blog posting and back in January 2025 I was writing about a sense of chaos and confusion surrounding Chelsea. Almost one year on, nothing appears to have changed that much if at all, albeit they’re currently without a permanent manager.

Before they lost their manager a few days ago, I was thinking ahead to this blog posting and was most certainly going to write what I often do about today’s visitors, which is that I can never quite read them as a team. One game they seem to blow sides away with good football and the next they perform so poorly. It couldn’t be summed up better than by their last 6 results in the league, which reads: L D W D L D.

I had already decided before the sacking that this was going to be a City win but now some nerves have taken over, I have to be honest. We’re still 9 games unbeaten with 8 wins and a draw and we’re at home against a side whose results are all over the place, so there are very few reasons to be jittery really.

However, the one big reason for having doubts about getting all 3, very vital points is the one that I’ve just mentioned – just how will their players react to losing their gaffer?

Focus on us, would be Pep’s words of wisdom, and that’s very good advice.

We’re winning, or grabbing a share of the points at least, but we’re doing so by not playing particularly well once again; following a run of fairly good performances, I thought. Is fatigued an issue? Well, our manager has chosen to make very few tweaks to his side in recent weeks so perhaps so. I’ve noticed Nico O’Reilly in particular appears to be suffering in recent games.

I’m gonna do it – I’m actually going to let that Doubting Thomas voice in my head win and call this one just how I see it, which is a draw.

Prove me wrong, Blues…but in the right way of course. 🙏

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

Prediction: Draw

Result: Won

(Pre-match blog posting from that game)

Expected weather conditions during the game: The thermometer might read 0C as the game kicks off but the forecasted ‘feels like’ is around -4C. In addition, I’ve seen a couple of weather reports which suggests that we might see some light white stuff falling over the Etihad during the match. 🌨️🥶🧣🧥🧤🍵🥧🍺⚽

Solidarity

A weakened Sunderland side are…

…still, “…a pleasure to watch”.

That was a comment from the lead commentator on the radio as I listened to their 1-1 home draw against Leeds United.

They may have lost more players than any other Premier League club to AFCON but they still pose a very difficult challenge tonight.

There’s a blog announcement reminder at the end of this piece.

v Sunderland

Stadium of Light

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

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

A very fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 (occasional 3-6-1):

____________________Haaland____________________

 

 

__Foden________________________________Cherki__

 

_________Silva(C)_________________Reijnders_______

 

____________________Gonzalez___________________

O’Reilly___________________________________Nunes

__________Gvardiol______________Dias(VC)__________

 

 

__________________Donnarumma_________________

Subs: Trafford, Lewis, Ake, Khusanov, Rodri, Mukasa, Doku, Savinho and Heskey.

Gigi continues in goal.

A back-4, occasional 3, of Nico-O-, Josko, Ruben and Matheus.

Nico-G- is the ‘holder’ in midfield, while Phil, Bernardo, Tijjani and Rayan-C- provide the creativity and attacking threat from the middle and wide areas.

Erling up front.

James is reserve stopper while Rico, Nathan and Abdukodir make up three defenders on the side. Two reserve midfielders come in the shape of Rodders and Divine, while wide / forward options are provided by Jeremy, Savinho and Reigan.

Notable absences:

-       Marcus Bettinelli – Not selected.

-       Stefan Ortega – Not selected.

-       Rayan Ait-Nouri – Away on international duty.

-       Kalvin Phillips – Not selected.

-       John Stones – Out with a thigh injury but it was said on 12^th December that the England defender isn’t expected to be missing for long. It has been 3 weeks now after we were given the impression that it wasn’t a major issue. ❓

-       Mateo Kovacic – Recovering from secondary surgery to clean up some calcification in his ankle. Expected return is around February 2026.

-       Oscar Bobb – Out with a muscular / hamstring issue. Unknown return date.

-       Omar Marmoush – Away on international duty.

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

Yes.

Result?

“Scrappy”. “A gritty win”. “An awful game”. “It’s 3 points, init?”. Those were just some of the comments from a few City fans following our 1-2 win away at Nottingham Forest last Saturday.

“A draw would have been a fair result”. “City should have been playing the second half with 10 men; possibly 9”, were the words of just two Forest fans after the match.

Waiting to leave the house to attend a family Christmas party, I had no opportunity to watch the game and, instead, listened to the first half live on the trusty ol’ radio. That 45 minutes didn’t sound too pretty, which backs up the words from those City fans. Perhaps a draw would have been fair and bearing in mind our track record at the City Ground, which is mixed to say the very least; a point could have been viewed as, ‘…better than none’.

Opinions aside, the facts are these:

-       66% possession to their 34%

-       16 shots to their 7; 5 on target to their 2

-       Almost 3 times as many touches in their box than they had in ours.

Maybe it wasn’t pretty – perhaps an early kick-off away from home and being the first game after the Christmas holiday was always going to be a bit iffy. But iffy or not, we won and it was our 8^th-straight win in all competitions. 👏👏👏👍

That should breath extra confidence into our lads and if Pep saw some things he didn’t quite like during our 3-0 home win against West Ham recently, then you can be sure he will have already combed through and then gone over with the lads areas for improvement following our trip to Forest.

We’ll need that confidence and fine tuning and perhaps an bit more because I don’t think any side has had an easy time of it away against the season’s surprise package that is The Black Cats. What a team their manager has assembled – hard working, organised and they score just enough goals to either secure win or earn a share of the points. And, as that commentator said last Sunday, are apparently a pleasure to watch too.

Sitting 7^th, they’ve lost the same number of games in the league as we have and have conceded just one more than us in the Prem; giving them the 3^rd-best defensive record in the division. It’s only the number of draws (7) instead of a few more wins which has prevented them from joining us in the top-4. Just like us, only one side has lost fewer games than tonight’s hosts.

Before I discovered the fact that Sunderland had lost seven players to AFCON, I had this firmly down as a draw and I would have taken that considering what a tough place it has been for other sides to go to. I’m still umming and erring over that possible outcome now.

However, I know there’s no logic to football and I understand that Leeds United have had an upturn in form in recent games but I’m now thinking…if Leeds can go there and get a draw then surely we can come home with all-3 points. I know…football doesn’t work like that.

But I’m sticking with those good vibes whether that’s based on illogic or not, I’m going for us to make it 9 wins from 9. It’s 3-points to The Blues.

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

Prediction: N/A

Result: N/A

Expected weather conditions during the game: Flippin’ cold! Well it is winter. At least it remains dry but 3C, as the ref blows his whistle to signal the start of the game, comes with a stiff north-westerly breeze that makes the “feels like” temperature -2 / -3C. A midweek away fixture at Sunderland? Been there, done that…and so I applaud every travelling City fan. 👏👏👏  Wrap up people. 🥶🧣🧥🧤🍵🥧 but still…🍺⚽ I wonder which City player(s), aside from the keeper of course, will be wearing gloves…

Blog announcement:

As I mentioned I would a few weeks ago, I have looked at both the forthcoming 2026 fixtures list and my current work schedule and I am going to put a freeze on producing midweek blog postings prior to games.

This definitely applies to January and February where the fixture list is brutal in terms of frequency but until further notice beyond that, I’ll just be concentrating on weekend fixtures.

I hope, in some ways, that normal service will resume at some point; where I start to cover more midweek fixtures once again in due course.

Solidarity