Not yet, as I start to prepare this piece, but I think it’s almost inevitable that someone in the press, at least, will label this Premier League clash as “a rehearsal” for the Champions League final at the end of May.
I’ll come out now and answer my own question posed in the title…I don’t think for one second that it will be.
v Chelsea
 |
| Etihad Stadium |
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:
(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game: 10/11).
I think we’re gonna see a very-much ‘mixed bag’ of players in our starting 11 from the more-recent & obvious rotation of 2 sets of 11, I would suggest, and so there’s plenty of room for error in my predicted 11; a situation not helped by the fact that not one journalist asked about the fitness / availability of Pep’s men in either Part 1 or Part 2/embargoed press conference sections…
Fluid 4-2-3-1 / 4-1-4-1 / 4-4-2:
____________________Aguero____________________
____________________Sterling___________________
Foden___________________________________Torres
____________Gundogan_________________________
_________________________Rodri________________
Mendy__________________________________Cancelo
____________Laporte__________Dias______________
____________________Ederson___________________
Subs: Steffen, Walker, Zinchenko, Ake, Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Silva, Mahrez, Jesus.
Ederson continues ‘between the sticks’.
Now…as for most of the rest, the players involved in a high-tempo game in midweek have, in fact, had a near-full, 4 days to recover AND don’t have to ‘kick a ball in anger’ for another 6 days after this evening’s match. Therefore – and especially as we are to face such a good side – we may well see a very similar 11 to the one who beat PSG…twice.
However, I’m sticking with my instinct of-this-being a ‘slightly shuffled pack’.
So…a much-changed back-4 looks like Benjamin & Joao on the flanks with Aymeric & Ruben in the middle.
Rodders & Ilkay, I'd say, will have the central midfield roles; both slightly deep / holding with Ilkay stepping further forward when play dictates.
Ahead of that “shield” I think we’ll see an attacking trio which is very interchangeable; with Phil, Raheem & Ferran all being able to play in / switch to each of those positions. I very nearly went for Raheem on the left and Gabriel Jesus behind a lead striker with Phil on the bench but I think Guardiola will want / need Phil’s energy to zip around and help the central midfield at times.
Sergio to get his 2nd run-out ‘up top’ against a London side in a week.
Zack is the back-up stopper; Oleksandr, Kyle & Nathan make up the defensive replacement options from the side. Fernandinho, Kevin, Bernardo, Riyad & Gabriel are the midfield / wing / attacking reserves in ‘the 9’. Strong bench.
Notable absences:
- Eric Garcia – Not selected.
- John Stones – Suspended – the last of his 3-match, domestic ban.
Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?
We could be a little thin in the centre with that 11 but I think we’re going to try and force a lot of our play down the flanks this evening and, therefore, I can understand the reasoning behind selecting Mendy from the start.
Result? I think it’ll be a decent game and one, I reckon, that’ll be more open than when we meet again in the Champions League final later this month.
Both sides are in good form and while we’re looking to make league champions for the 2020/21 season official; The Pensioners still need points to secure 4th spot at the very least, whilst teams behind them still have ‘em in their sights. They’ll be hunting for a win for sure.
In a lot of ways this one does look like a draw but either with that predicted line-up or otherwise; I’ve had nothing but a home win in my head since I started to focus on this fixture from Thursday onwards. Champions by around 7:20pm (BST) it is!
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: Horrible. Truly ’orrible. Wet, wet…and more wet. Quite windy too, with forecasted gusts of up to 30MPH in the Greater Manchester region. Heavy rain for most of the day may turn slightly lighter as the game kicks off (5:30pm BST) but there’s certainly no need to water the pitch beforehand. Conditions are likely to make slick, accurate passing a little less possible despite the advanced drainage systems in place on modern, top-flight football pitches and could be responsible for some mistimed tackles too. Milder of late though (small blessings) with the winds coming from a southerly direction, at around 14C.
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