1 week ago
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Pep Guardiola gave his fringe players a chance in midweek but Manchester City's defeat to Bayer Leverkusen will have him thinking again.
The overwhelming feeling for Manchester City late on Tuesday night was one of a missed opportunity. A chance to get the defeat to Newcastle out of the system had gone, as had putting one foot firmly into the last-16 of the Champions League. As for the players, most of whom had waited patiently for a chance to impress, they were eyeing up a Carabao Cup quarter-final after fluffing their lines.
Pep Guardiola's decision to make 10 changes backfired and the lack of fluency in a team thrown together was predictable. City lacked any real patterns of play and never really looked likely to get a result against the Bundesliga side. It was an alarming performance.
Those coming into the side might feel a sense of grievance that they were chucked into a much-changed team, rather than three or four changes to a settled team. But whatever the reason, this was an audition that went horribly wrong for all of them.
None of them can really expect to keep their place for Saturday's Premier League game with Leeds United, having not done enough in the Champions League to warrant another start. If anything, Guardiola's rotation only strengthened the hand of the players dropped.
He had picked the same team for three Premier League games running and nobody would really be surprised if that was four in a row this weekend. It certainly feels as if at least 10 players can be pencilled on to the teamsheet already.
Gianluigi Donnarumma was always a certain starter in goal, while a defence of Matheus Nunes, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and Nico O'Reilly picks itself at the moment.
Nico Gonzalez will continue to deputise for Rodri in midfield, while Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden are also likely to start in midfield. Jeremy Doku is the in-form winger and Erling Haaland will clearly lead the line.
That leaves one place up for grabs, which, against Bournemouth, Liverpool and Newcastle, went to Rayan Cherki. The 21-year-old's hot streak has cooled recently, however, and his cameo off the bench against Leverkusen wasn't great.
It Guardiola opts for a change, he could bring back Tijjani Reijnders into midfield and continue to pack central areas, a tactic that worked well against Bournemouth and Liverpool. Alternatively, he could bring in a second winger, in Savinho or Oscar Bobb, to play on the right.
There is also the possibility of playing Omar Marmoush. The Egyptian has been struggling lately but should still pose a goal threat. He can play just off Haaland or coming in off the left.
If 10 places in the team to face Leeds are already settled, then the one that might be available will at least give Guardiola a dilemma.
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