Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is facing a selection headache as he prepares his side to take on Everton on New Year’s Eve for their first home Premier League match after the World Cup.
With the busy festive period putting Guardiola’s men through nine games in five-and-a-half weeks, some rotation will be inevitable.
City will find themselves five points behind league leaders Arsenal when they take on Everton on Saturday afternoon. A win against the Toffees would see them apply the pressure on the Gunners and move just two points behind Mikel Arteta’s side, ahead of their difficult trip to Brighton later that evening.
The squad depth that the Catalan manager has available to him means that there is no shortage of options for Guardiola to choose from to take on Everton.
Team News
Kalvin Phillips could make his first start for Manchester City when Everton travel to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Having only played one minute of Premier League action for the club he joined in the summer, Phillips is in contention to start on New Year’s Eve despite being called “overweight” by Pep Guardiola earlier in the week.
The City boss brought Phillips back to the squad to be on the bench against Leeds as he improved his evaluation of the England midfielder to having a “perfect, sexy body”.
Julian Alvarez is unlikely to be thrown into the Man City squad as he gradually returns to club action following World Cup success with Argentina.
Ruben Dias will miss out with a thigh injury, but City still have plenty of options available at centre-back, with Manuel Akanji and John Stones the preferred duo on Wednesday.
Foden may come in along with Cancelo as both were rested against Leeds, as Jack Grealish and Rico Lewis are the two likely to make way.
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 : Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Cancelo; Silva, Phillips, De Bruyne; Foden, Haaland, Grealish.
90min XI: Ederson; Lewis, Stones, Laporte, Ake; Gundogan, Rodri, Bernardo; Foden, Haaland, Grealish.
Matthew Hobkinson (MEN) XI: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Cancelo; Rodri, Gundogan, De Bruyne; Foden, Grealish, Haaland.
City Xtra XI: Ederson; Cancelo, Akanji, Stones, Aké; Rodri, De Bruyne, Gundogan; Foden, Haaland, Grealish.
City Report XI: Ederson; Ake, Stones, Akanji, Walker; Rodri, Gundogan, De Bruyne; Foden, Haaland, Bernardo
Who do you think will be in the XI against Everton?
Best Starting XI base on Majority: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Cancelo; Rodri, Gundogan, De Bruyne; Foden, Haaland, Grealish.
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