Man City XI vs Sporting Lisbon: Predicted lineup, confirmed team news, injury latest for Champions League

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Evening Standard

·5. November 2024

Man City XI vs Sporting Lisbon: Predicted lineup, confirmed team news, injury latest for Champions League

Pep Guardiola could rotate his side in Portugal

The defender played the full 90 minutes of the Carabao Cup tie against Tottenham last week, but didn't make the matchday squad against Bournemouth due to a foot issue and was not involved in team training on Monday.

"John? I don’t know if he’ll be back for the next two games," Guardiola said when asked for an update on the England man.

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Stones' fellow centre-back Ruben Dias will miss the next two games with a muscular injury, while Guardiola revealed at his pre-match press conference that Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake are “still with problems”.

Two games in quick succession after returning from injury might be a step too far for Kyle Walker, and Rico Lewis is a more than capable deputy while Josko Gvardiol continues at left-back.

There might be a change in goal as Stefan Ortega has started all but one of City's three Champions League fixtures so far.

Midfield is where things get interesting as Guardiola has confirmed he won't be rushing Kevin De Bruyne back after almost two months out, even if there was a more positive update.

Kevin De Bruyne is being eased back into action for Manchester City

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Guardiola said on Monday: "Kevin is getting better and adding sessions with less pain so we feel that he feels more and more comfortable. That is excellent news for him and all of us.”

As De Bruyne is likely to be on the bench, and in the continued absence of Rodri, it could be the trio of Mateo Kovacic, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden who are tasked with gaining control of proceedings in Portugal.

Erling Haaland will lead the line. He could be flanked on one side by Matheus Nunes as a reward for his impressive form of late and Jeremy Doku, who made his return as a substitute at the weekend after a couple of weeks out, on the opposite side to give City some pace and directness.

Predicted Man City XI (4-2-3-1): Ortega; Lewis, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Bernardo; Doku, Foden, Nunes; Haaland

Doubts: John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake

Out: Rodri (knee), Oscar Bobb (leg), Ruben Dias (muscular), Jack Grealish (fitness), Savinho (ankle)

Time and date: 8pm GMT on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

Venue: Estadio Jose Alvalade

TV channel and live stream: TNT Sports