Predicted Starting Line-Up: Leeds United vs Manchester City (Premier League) | OneFootball

Riding with momentum on their side, Manchester City’s quest to turf Arsenal from the top of the table continues with a trip to Elland Road this weekend.

After an emphatic three points taken in the home win over Newcastle last Saturday, the blues sent out yet another league-wide signal that their toil for the Premier League title this season is far from over.

As summit holders Arsenal geared up for one of the most important North London derbies in their recent history the following day, Manchester City faced off against familiar opposition Newcastle for the fourth time this season.

Two superbly judged strikes from one of the club’s Player of the Season contenders in Nico O’Reilly snatched the share of the points into City’s hands, before a masterful rearguard performance saw out a vital victory in the grand scheme of the Premier League season.

Excellent performances from returning figurehead Erling Haaland, match winner O’Reilly, and substitute Abdukodir Khusanov amongst the rest of the squad were perhaps the most refreshing sight to see bar the scoreline last weekend.

But as Manchester City will be well aware in retrospect of title races gone by, heads must turn towards the next test, as the Citizens prepare to hit the road and face a Leeds side having suffered just two defeats since the turn of the calendar year.

The reverse fixture at the Etihad Stadium had its peaks and its troughs, with Manchester City starting firmly on the front foot with a bursting Phil Foden opener just a minute into proceedings, followed by a deft back-post header with Josko Gvardiol’s name on it.

Strikes from red hot Dominic Calvert-Lewin and City academy product Lukas Nmecha pegged back the scoreline just after the break, before ‘Stockport Iniesta’ Phil Foden stepped up to rifle his last minute effort home, sending the ground into raptures to cap off a fantastic individual performance.

Once again holding a game in hand on Arsenal, who host Chelsea on Sunday in a heavyweight all-London clash, Manchester City have another chance to take advantage with a result in Yorkshire.

Here’s how we think the team will look this Saturday evening!

Predicted XI

He may represent Italy on the international stage, but Gianluigi Donnarumma is already an adopted Mancunian after his stellar displays in between the sticks this season, and he is nailed on to retain his Premier League starting berth this time out.

Matheus Nunes has done more than enough to silence doubters this season. The former Wolves and Sporting CP man has developed into an undroppable name since his settlement at right-back this season.  

No trip to Elland Road comes without a tough physical task, and we think a rearguard partnership of exceptional January signing Marc Guehi and defensive warrior Abdukodir Khusanov are more than suited to meet this in the centre of defence.

When Rayan Ait-Nouri found himself struggling to usurp Nico O’Reilly at left-back after coming back from an early season injury, it was incredibly hard to find anything to fault about the Algerian since his summer switch. But flying at present, he keeps his spot.

Rodri was the name on everyone’s lips while trying to explain the malfunctions behind last season’s various wobbles, with the 2024 Ballon D’Or winner’s absence palpable in many moments. But with his fitness back to its peak this season, he is expected to anchor the Blues.

No doubt vying for Premier League Young Player of the season, and likely in contention for Manchester City’s Player of the Year, Nico O’Reilly is enjoying the form of his life after his antics against Newcastle, and is proving pivotal in his box-to-box midfield role.

Captain Bernardo Silva is the man who has earned all of Pep Guardiola’s faith over the years, and his continued reliability in all corners of the pitch this season have been noticed. The skipper is sure to be a key figure against Leeds.

Having not started in the Premier League since a knock injury picked up away at Tottenham in early February, Rayan Cherki has a point to prove, and the maverick’s ability to play freely in confined areas make for plenty of created chances off the right hand side.

Leading the line once more, Erling Haaland will spearhead the Blues in his city of birth this weekend. The Norwegian comes off the back of a powerful performance against the Magpies, and has proven that his work rate applies in both halves of the pitch.

Antoine Semenyo’s introduction from Bournemouth has gone down a treat, with his ability to carry play forward sharply and read the match with inch perfect precision, popping up in the right places on many occasions already. The Ghanaian is a certainty to start, surely?

Starting XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Guehi, Khusanov, Ait Nouri; Rodri, Bernardo, O’Reilly; Cherki, Haaland, Semenyo.

Substitutes: Trafford, Lewis, Stones, Dias, Nico, Reijnders, Savinho, Foden, Marmoush.