Predicted Starting Line-Up: SK Slovan Bratislava vs Manchester City (UEFA Champions League) | OneFootball

Manchester City travel to Slovakia for the first time in the club’s history as they take on SK Slovan Bratislava on matchday two of the Champions League’s league phase.

Pep Guardiola and his players will be hoping to get their first goals on the board and three points having been held to a tight and tense 0-0 affair against Italian champions Inter Milan on matchday one at the Etihad Stadium.

Despite clear opportunities to win the game late on via Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden, Manchester City were unable to break the deadlock and registered one of three draws in their last four matches across all competitions.

SK Slovan Bratislava will have the clear boost of competing in their first ever UEFA Champions League home match when the 2023 winners of the competition visit on Tuesday night, hoping for a better outcome than their 5-1 away defeat on matchday one to Celtic in Glasgow.

City remain without four players for the trip to Slovakia with Nathan Ake, Oscar Bobb, and Rodri sidelined through long-term injuries, whilst Kevin De Bruyne continues to be absent from the first-team picture despite only sustaining a minor groin problem against Inter.

Ahead of Manchester City’s upcoming UEFA Champions League clash against SK Slovan Bratislava, here is how we predict Pep Guardiola will line-up his side at Tehelné pole on Tuesday night!

Predicted XI

Ederson will continue in goal as per standard UEFA Champions League procedure.

We think Rico Lewis could be issued with another start for Manchester City but this time from his natural right-back role, and venturing into defensive midfield to support the defensive midfield ranks when in possession.

Having also undertaken pre-match media duties upon arrival in Bratislava on Monday evening, we believe John Stones could start alongside Ruben Dias in the centre of defence. That hands a rest to Manuel Akanji, who may be deployed more often in midfield in future.

We expect Josko Gvardiol to hold down his left-back slot in Manchester City’s starting line-up, following on from the weekend’s performance and outstanding goal against Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

Moving further up the pitch and we think it could be yet another opportunity for Mateo Kovacic to develop his skills set in the lone defensive midfield role, with support from the energetic advanced midfielders deployed ahead of him.

Matheus Nunes may be handed a rare start for Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League this week, operating alongside the the similarly-energetic Phil Foden to supply to creativity for forward players.

On both the right and left of Manchester City’s front-three, we think it could be all-change for Pep Guardiola, selecting Savinho and Jeremy Doku as his wide players against SK Slovan Bratislava.

Erling Haaland is expected to lead the line, despite his knocks picked up against Newcastle.

Starting XI: Ederson; Lewis, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Nunes, Foden; Savinho, Haaland, Doku.

Substitutes: Ortega Moreno, Carson, Walker, Akanji, Gundogan, Bernardo, McAtee, Grealish.