2024-12-19 19:00:00
Manchester City are looking for some respite amid a disastrous run of results when they visit Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s team plunged further into crisis last weekend following his miserable late defeat to local rivals Manchester Unitedan eighth defeat in their last 11 matches and a result which leaves them nine points ahead of league leaders Liverpool, having played a game more.
The trip to Villa Park will certainly test Man City’s resolve in a losing game last season. Guardiola has several defensive wounds to consider and he may have to go back to basics with his tactical instructions this weekend.
Here’s how Man City could queue in the Midlands.
GK: Ederson – Ederson’s return to the team after several appearances on the bench saw back-to-back defeats against Juventus and Man Utd. The Brazilian was exposed by the failures of the defense in front of him.
RB: Rico Lewis – The young and versatile full-back was absent from the Manchester derby after seeing red the previous weekend against Crystal Palace. He has been used in a series of weird and wonderful roles this season, but a return to a more orthodox right-back role could be on the cards.
CB: John Stones – The Stones’ two most recent releases were both for Man City defeats against Tottenham Hotspur but injuries to Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake mean the Englishman could be reinstated into the starting XI at Villa Park.
CB: Ruben Dias – Even the defiant and usually imperious Dias was unable to solve Man City’s defensive problems. The Portuguese is currently the best of a struggling backline and things could have been much worse without him.
GM: Josko Gvardiol – Gvardiol’s form over the past month has been well below his best and errors have been all too frequent. However, with no traditional senior left-back in-house, Gvardiol’s place in the team is safe at the moment. At least he poses a goal threat at the other end of the pitch.
DM: Ilkay Gundogan – The German’s decline has been evident since his return to the Etihad Stadium, but to be fair to the aging midfielder, he has been asked to fill Rodri’s gargantuan shoes.
DM: Mateo Kovacic – Kovacic made his first appearance since the November international break against Man Utd and the Croatian’s return will be welcomed with open arms by Guardiola. He should provide much-needed defensive cover in the engine room.
AD: Bernardo Silva – The Portuguese is one of Man City’s mediocre superstars, failing to reach his usual high standards. He will be asked to do a lot of work in both halves against high intensity. Villa side.
AM: Kevin De Bruyne – De Bruyne shone in Man City’s only win in their last 11 matches against Nottingham Forest, but has remained relatively quiet since. The reigning Premier League the champions desperately need his magic on Saturday.
AG: Jeremy Doku – Often looking both unstoppable and unsightly, Doku could be unleashed like a little ram on Saturday. He should sprint relentlessly down Villa’s left side.
ST: Erling Haaland – The Norwegian had just 21 touches in the Manchester derby, three more than against Juventus in the Champions League. If he’s not involved he should just score, but Man City’s general lethargy means that hasn’t happened too frequently in recent weeks.
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