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

Manchester City have a point to prove as they set out to steer back onto a winning trail with the visit of Leeds United this Saturday.

After a week of despondency following Manchester City’s two defeats to Newcastle United and German side Bayer Leverkusen, the Blues will be on the prowl for a vital three points in their quest for absolution.

A dire display at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night saw a dispirited side slip to a 0-2 defeat to visitors Leverkusen, who walked away with a deserved three points in the Champions League’s ‘League phase’ courtesy of strikes from Alejandro Grimaldo and Patrik Schick.         

After making 10 changes and claiming the desire to have “made 11 changes if he could have” during his pre-match media duties, Pep Guardiola took full culpability for a brash decision, stating, “I’ll take full responsibility, still I think the players that started are exceptional”.   

However, Manchester City have the chance to put things right this weekend, as an out of sorts Leeds United side make the trip across the Pennines for a face off at the Etihad stadium, having lost in four of their last five outings in the Premier League.

Daniel Farke’s side sit just one point away from the safety places and will be raring to deliver a memorable result in order to snatch back their control over Premier League survival this season.

Manchester City have not lost to Leeds since April 2021, when a Stuart Dallas double saw the 10-man Premier League newcomers run out with all three points in the dying minutes of the contest.

But still sitting tightly and just one point behind second-place Chelsea, Manchester City are in a great position to keep the pressure piling with a win at home this Saturday afternoon, and here’s how we think the line-up will look this time around!

Predicted XI

Off the back of what most would describe as an abrupt shuffle of personnel on Tuesday night, Italian giant Gianluigi Donnarumma will return to his duties between the sticks after sitting out of Manchester City’s UEFA Champions League loss against Bayer Leverkusen.

One player that was part of the team’s shake up in the week was Abdukodir Khusanov, who is back to full fitness and ready to duel for a place at right-back against Matheus Nunes. We think the Uzbekistan international will get the nod.

Ruben Dias has been exceptional so far this campaign and has shone with his defensive leadership skills and has proven to be a big miss when he finds himself absent from Guardiola’s line-ups.

The Portuguese international has gone hand in hand with last season’s Manchester City Player of the Season, Josko Gvardiol. The duo have cemented their status as the most dependable central partnership in the squad, and should maintain their place this time out.

Nico O’Reilly has proven his worth as an excellently versatile and diligent option at left-back this season, and Rayan Ait-Nouri will have to work hard to get his spot back following his early season injury.

The only player to keep his name on the team sheet against Bayer Leverkusen, Nico, is still holding fort in the absence of the injured Rodri, and is impressing with his connective ability and positional intelligence game by game.

‘Stockport’s finest’, Phil Foden is a fan favourite for a variety of reasons, and the attacking midfielder has stepped up this season starting all but two of Manchester City’s top-flight encounters, and we think he will be the key to unlocking Leeds United.

Club captain Bernardo Silva’s stature in the side has often been more than prominent over the years in steering the Blues back on course, and we think he will don the armband this weekend whilst taking on a starting place.

Rayan Cherki has shown flashes of brilliance since his summer move from Olympique Lyonnais, and his ability on the ball is staggering. His connection with Phil Foden looks to be developing with each outing and he could have another opportunity to impress this time out.

Erling Haaland is on the hunt for his 100th Premier League goal to become the third player in history to join the Premier League’s prestigious ‘100 Club’ while wearing a Manchester City shirt – joining Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling. He will start this weekend.

When Jeremy Doku is crammed with confidence, it is hard to tip anyone to put a stop to him out wide. With his bursts of pace and clips into the danger area, the Belgian has been a nightmare for opponents this season and should start this one.

Starting XI: Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Nico, Bernardo, Foden; Cherki, Haaland, Doku.

Substitutes: Trafford, Nunes, Stones, Ake, Ait-Nouri, Reijnders, Savinho, Bobb, Marmoush.