After a superb, Champions League comeback in midweek and ahead of our second leg against PSG just over 72-hours later; I’m expected big changes in the starting 11 for this early, Saturday afternoon kick off (12:30pm BST).
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| Selhurst Park |
LOTS of guesswork here with this one…more than usual, I’d say. And I will explain my reasonings both now and further down the piece as to why I think he might go with the selection below.
The first explanation is quite simply this – I don’t think there can be any doubt that our manager has to rest / protect most, if not all, of those he intends to use for this very, VERY important game coming up on Tuesday night. That being the case and without dipping into the EDS, who have a game to play tonight (7:00pm KO BST); I think Pep needs to fill the pitch as best he can without using those said-11 who are surely ‘pencilled in’ to face the French side.
SO…
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:
(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game: 9/11).
Fluid 5-4-1 / 3-6-1 / 5-2-3:
_____________________________________________
____________________Jesus____________________
__Sterling_____________________________Torres__
___________Zinchenko_________________________
________________________Fernandinho__________
Mendy_________________________________Cancelo
_________Ake_______Laporte______Garcia________
___________________Ederson____________________
Subs: Steffen, Walker, Dias, Rodri, Gundogan, Foden, De Bruyne, Silva, Aguero.
A player who is almost certain to ‘go again’ is our keeper. Ederson is in net.
I could be WAY off here but, for reasons I’ve already mentioned and further more to follow soon, I think we MIGHT see a back-3 / 5 starting tomorrow and for that I’m going for Benjamin, Nathan, Aymeric, Eric & Joao; the latter, which, got something of a rest after being withdrawn in the last fixture after 61 minutes on the pitch.
Now, similarly, I’m going for Oleksandr, who only played 34 minutes last Wednesday, to get a rare, central midfield job; a position he is more-naturally used to, especially for his national side. Alongside the Ukrainian is likely to be our rested-in-midweek skipper, Fernandinho.
Ahead of all of those is a likely 3 of Raheem, Ferran & Gabriel.
Zack is the reserve keeper; Kyle & Ruben are the only defenders on the side. Rodders, Ilkay, Phil, Kevin, Bernardo & Sergio make up the rather impressive midfield / attacking options in ‘the 9’.
Notable absences:
- John Stones – Suspended for the 2nd of a 3-match, domestic ban.
Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?
Definitely for this one and between two-crucial, non-domestic matches.
My second point about the changes also comes because…having-had to make so many changes due to the sandwich of the Champions League games; I think we also have to ‘give a nod to’ the fact that our hosts do have a left-wing threat in Wilfried Zaha and a big presence in Christian Benteke. Yeah, Palace aren’t doing particularly great and I’m not saying that those two are exactly ‘ripping up trees’ either - and we have to be mindful of other dangers, not least Andros Townsend – but if we do make so many changes; I think we need to ‘fill up’ that space which those players can exploit if we’re not careful.
Other than that, and, if I’m right with the line-up of course, I think it’s a nice balance for this fixture; even if Joao & Eric don’t necessarily have the pace / height to deal with the aforementioned attackers too comfortably.
Result? I think a lot of it depends on how this side - a largely, ‘second string’ 11 at the moment - perform; how much they want to impress their boss.
I think they’ll want to do that and, of course, they’re mostly ‘fresh legged’ too. I’m going for a City win and, of course, if we do that and Liverpool win on Sunday, we’ll regain the league title!
Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result…
Prediction: Win
Result: Won
(Pre-match blog posting from that game)
Expected weather conditions during the game: A largely nice day ‘down there’, as it will be ‘up ‘ere’ too. Clear-blue skies up to about noon gives way to fluffy white things and the still-visible sun leaves the ground bathed in a…pleasant enough temperature of around 11 to 12C. A slight, northerly breeze might take the edge off any heat but for the players, that should be perfect conditions once again for ‘peggin’ it’ around.
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