Man City XI vs Porto: Starting lineup, confirmed team news, injury latest for Champions League today | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca set to rotate for Portugal trip as league phase begins

Man City kept their perfect Premier League record intact as they edged past Coventry last time out, winning 1-0 thanks to a customary goal from Erling Haaland, and manager Enzo Maresca has decided to rotate in Portugal on Tuesday evening.

The Coventry match turned up a pair of new injury concerns. Nico O’Reilly was due to start but dropped out late having sustained a lower back issue during the warm-up, with debutant Enzo Fernandez called in to replace him.

Fellow Deadline Day signing Iliman Ndiaye then came off with an apparent knock, joining fellow winger Jeremy Doku on the treatment table.

Iliman Ndiaye will hope to make his Champions League debut on Tuesday night

PA

Maresca had already promised to make changes at the Estadio do Dragao.

Speaking after sinking Coventry, he told reporters: “We saw today with Ayyoub [Bouaddi], [Ryan] McAidoo, Iliman Ndiaye, they haven’t played in Champions League but they need to start, so on Tuesday they are going to start to get minutes in the Champions League.”

Bouaddi will partner Fernandez at the base of midfield, in front of a back four comprising Josko Gvardiol, Marc Guehi, Ruben Dias and Matheus Nunes.

O’Reilly will be back for Sunday’s derby against Manchester United at Old Trafford, but it remains to be seen when exactly Doku will return.

Maresca has made clear that Haaland will need to be rotated in and out of the squad over the coming weeks as City compete on four fronts, but the prolific Norwegian will lead the line in Portugal anyway.