Manchester City are currently second in the Premier League with 61 points from 30 games, sitting nine points behind Arsenal. City got a massive boost during the international break by beating Arsenal 2-0 at Wembley to lift the Carabao Cup. Even with that trophy in the bag, the gap in the league is a huge problem as the season winds down.
Their next big test is a trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, 12 April, a game where Pep Guardiola’s side simply can’t afford to slip up if they want to keep the pressure on Arsenal. There’s a level of pressure surrounding this match that we’ve rarely seen in away games this season, making Pep’s team selection more critical than ever.
Manchester City predicted lineup vs Chelsea
Gianluigi Donnarumma is expected to keep his spot in goal, having established himself as City’s clear number one since joining last summer. With John Stones out with a calf injury, Josko Gvardiol recovering from surgery on a tibial fracture, and Rúben Dias sidelined by a hamstring issue from the Real Madrid game, Guardiola is dealing with a full-blown defensive crisis.
Because of these injuries, Abdukodir Khusanov and January arrival Marc Guéhi are expected to start together in central defence. They are a pair that have actually looked quite sharp together lately. Guéhi made his debut in the January win over Wolves after Guardiola moved quickly to bring him in from Crystal Palace to cover for Stones’ injury struggles.
On the flanks, Rayan Aït-Nouri starts at left-back to give City pace and directness, while Matheus Nunes continues his run at right-back, where his work rate and ability to join the attack have been vital. Rodri will sit in front of the back four in his usual anchor role, providing the stability City need against a Chelsea team that can break forward in a heartbeat.
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In the advanced midfield roles, Tijjani Reijnders will pull the strings from the centre, moving the ball forward and finding pockets of space between the lines. Nico O’Reilly, the hero of the Carabao Cup final with both goals against Arsenal, should start on the left with full confidence. On the right, Antoine Semenyo will look to use his speed to pull Chelsea’s defence out of shape.
Up top, the duo of Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush gives City a strike force that most teams struggle to contain. Haaland is still a constant threat with his runs in behind, while Marmoush, who has been great with both goals and assists all season, drops deeper to link the play and drag defenders out of position. Together, they will be a handful for Chelsea’s backline for the full ninety minutes.
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Manchester City (4-1-3-2): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Matheus Nunes, Abdukodir Khusanov, Marc Guéhi, Rayan Aït-Nouri; Rodri; Antoine Semenyo, Tijjani Reijnders, Nico O’Reilly; Erling Haaland, Omar Marmoush
