Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will be without the suspended Joao Cancelo for Wednesday’s EFL Cup third-round tie with Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium.

The Portuguese right-back received a straight red card for a last-man foul on Fulham’s Harry Wilson at the weekend, but he will only serve a one-game ban before returning for the weekend’s Premier League clash with Brentford.

Guardiola is now without two right-backs as Kyle Walker continues to recover from groin surgery, but Kalvin Phillips (shoulder) will be in contention for some minutes.

Cancelo’s suspension will open the door for 17-year-old Rico Lewis to line up from the first whistle, with the teenager already finding the back of the net against Sevilla in Champions League action this term.

Lewis could be part of a rotated City backline, with Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, Sergio Gomez and Stefan Ortega all potentially earning starts after being benched for the weekend’s win over Fulham.

Rodri is unlikely to be handed any respite, but Cole Palmer and Phil Foden are both ready to come in for Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan as Guardiola shuffles his pack considerably.

Riyad Mahrez and Jack Grealish could act as the wide outlets for City, and while Erling Braut Haaland was able to come off the bench and score a last-minute winner against Fulham, it would not be a total shock to see Julian Alvarez continue up top, with the Norwegian still not quite at 100%.

Manchester City possible starting lineup:

In what is set to be an enthralling contest, here is how Some Man City Fans and Media expect Pep Guardiola’s side to line-up.

Evening Standard XI: Ortega; Lewis, Dias, Laporte, Gomez; Palmer, Rodri, De Bruyne; Mahrez, Alvarez, Grealish.

90min XI: Ortega; Lewis, Dias, Laporte, Gomez; Palmer, Rodri, Foden; Mahrez, Alvarez, Grealish.

Joe Bray (MEN) XI: Ortega; Stones, Dias, Laporte, Gomez; Palmer, Gundogan, De Bruyne; Mahrez, Alvarez, Grealish.

Alex Brotherton (MEN) XI: Ortega; Lewis, Dias, Laporte, Gomez; Rodri, Foden, Bernardo; Mahrez, Alvarez, Grealish.

City report XI: Ortega, Lewis, Dias, Laporte, Gomez, Gundogan, Bernardo, Foden, Grealish, Alvarez, Mahrez

City Xtra XI: Ortega, Lewis, Dias, Laporte, Gomez, Gundogan, Palmer, Foden, Mahrez, Haaland, Grealish

@bendavi3s: Ortega, Akanji, Dias, Laporte, Gomez, Rodri, KDB, Gundogan, Mahrez, Haaland, Foden

Who do you think will be in the XI against Chelsea?

Best Starting XI base on Majority: Ortega, Lewis, Dias, Laporte, Gomez, Gundogan, Palmer, Foden, Grealish, Alvarez, Mahrez

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