Manchester City will face Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday, looking to rebound from their defeat at Liverpool the previous week.
After returning to training this week, Manchester City could welcome back John Stones to the matchday squad against Brighton.
Stones has been out since injuring his hamstring while on England duty last month, but he was a welcome sight back in training this week, and Pep Guardiola says he will be considered for City’s match against Brighton at the Etihad. Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips are still on the bench.
Guardiola played Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne out wide in the defeat at Liverpool, with Ilkay Gundogan through the middle, but may be tempted to recall Jack Grealish or Riyad Mahrez on Saturday to return to winning ways.
In addition, the manager must decide whether to play Manuel Akanji at right-back or Nathan Ake at left-back, with Joao Cancelo on the opposite side. Or, in Walker’s absence, whether he will use another deputy full-back.
Tyrone Marshall
After last week it should be back to basics for City and a system and shape that has been working well this season, giving them particular balance in attacking areas.
That means Cancelo is back on the right so Akanji moves to right-back, with Dias and Laporte in the center. Ake is earmarked for Tuesday night and today is likely to be too soon for Stones to start.
The midfield needs reworking after last week. Rodri will play the holding role and De Bruyne and Bernardo can play their more traditional roles ahead of him. De Bruyne has combined well with Foden down the right and, likewise, Bernardo with Grealish down the left, so they can play the wide roles, with Haaland at center-forward.
Joe Bray
The attacking experiment against Liverpool really didn’t work, so Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva should move back to central midfield after their weird wide roles at Anfield. To help De Bruyne on the right, Phil Foden can switch to that wing, and Jack Grealish can return on the left after having his position strengthened last week even without playing.
Joao Cancelo was caught out on the right last week, so it might be best for Manuel Akanji to move back to that side, with Cancelo on the left. Then it’s a choice between Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Ake as the left-footed center-back, and on form, I’d say Ake takes it.
That can also save Laporte for the trip to Dortmund in the week, with players like Erling Haaland also earmarked for early substitutions to rest those legs for the game in Germany.
Alex Brotherton
Quite a lot of City fans were surprised to see Ilkay Gundogan’s name on the team sheet instead of Jack Grealish last weekend, and I think the English attacker will reclaim his spot on Saturday. Grealish has looked good in recent matches and will be keen to prove a point having played no part in one of the biggest games in City’s season.
Bringing him and pushing Phil Foden back over to the right wing would allow Kevin de Bruyne to play in his usual number-eight role – at Anfield, he struggled to create many chances without an out-and-out winger to play off, so I’d put good money on him setting up at least one goal for Erling Haaland against Brighton.
Joao Cancelo should move back to the left side of defense – left-back can now be considered his natural position – with Akanji filling in on the right.
