Manchester City are looking for some respite amid a terrible run of results when they visit Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s side sank further into crisis last weekend after his Miserable final defeat against local rivals Manchester Unitedan eighth defeat in their last 11 games and a result that leaves them nine points behind league leaders Liverpool with one more game to play.
The trip to Villa Park will certainly test Man City’s resolve in a game they lost last season. Guardiola has several defensive injuries to keep in mind and may have to go back to basics with his tactical instructions this weekend.
Here’s how Man City could line up in the Midlands.
GK: Ederson – Ederson’s return to the team after several games on the bench has resulted in back-to-back defeats to Juventus and Man Utd. The Brazilian has been exposed by the failed defense in front of him.
RB: Rico Lewis – The versatile young winger missed the Manchester derby afterwards see red the previous weekend against Crystal Palace. He has been used in a number of weird and wonderful roles this season, but there may be a return to a more orthodox right-back role.
CB: John Stones – The Stones’ two most recent outings were both at Man City defeat against Tottenham Hotspur but injuries to Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake mean the Englishman could be drafted into the starting XI at Villa Park.
CB: Rubén Dias – Even the defiant and usually imperious Dias has been unable to solve Man City’s defensive woes. The Portuguese is the best of a backline out of class at the moment and things could have been a lot worse without him.
LB: Josko Guardiol Guardiol’s form over the past month has been well below his best and mistakes have been far too frequent. However, with no traditional senior left-backs in the house, Guardiol’s place in the team is secure for now. At least he’s a goal threat at the other end.
DM: Ilkay Gundogan – The German’s decline has been evident since his return to the Etihad Stadium, but in fairness to the aging midfielder, he has been asked to fill Rodri’s mammoth shoes.
DM: Mateo Kovacic – Kovacic made his first appearance since the international break in November against Man Utd and the return of the Croatian will be welcomed with open arms by Guardiola. It should provide much needed defensive cover in the engine room.
RW: Bernardo Silva – The Portuguese is one of Man City’s underrated superstars, failing to reach his usual high standards. He will be asked to work hard in both halves against a high intensity Village side
AM: Kevin De Bruyne – De Bruyne shone in Man City’s only win in their last 11 games against Nottingham Forest, but has been relatively quiet since then. the reigning Premier League the champions desperately need their wizardry on Saturday.
LW: Jeremy Doku – Often looking unstoppable and nasty at the same time, Doku can be unleashed like a tiny battering ram on Saturday. He should sprint relentlessly down Villa’s left flank.
ST: Erling Haaland – The Norwegian had just 21 touches during the Manchester derby, three more than he enjoyed against Juventus in the Champions League. If he’s not involved, he simply needs to be scoring, but Man City’s general lethargy means that hasn’t happened too often in recent weeks.
