Manchester City Predicted XI: We predict manager Pep Guardiola’s starting XI as his side travel to face FC Porto in the Champions League

Manchester City Predicted XI: We predict manager Pep Guardiola’s starting XI as his side travel to face FC Porto in the Champions League.

Guardiola has a difficult decision on his hands tonight, as some will see tonight’s match as the perfect opportunity to rest key players with Champions League knockout qualification already secured.

However, FC Porto can still top Group C and Pep will be wary of what second place could mean when it comes to the knockout stage draw.

The fact that City are sitting in 11th place in the Premier League table will be weighing on the manager’s mind, and with Fulham to come at the weekend he will have his mind on gaining three Premier League points.

So who will start for City tonight in what should be a compelling game of football?

Here we predict Guardiola’s XI…

Goalkeeper:

Ederson: The first choice Brazilian will continue to keep his place between the sticks and Guardiola will be hoping his distribution will be key once again. The goalkeeper position is one that Ederson has completely secured at Manchester City with the Brazilian rarely rested in a City shirt.

Defenders:

Pep rarely reverts from a back four and will do so again tonight. Kyle Walker is expected to keep his position at right back, but after returning from injury against Burnley at the weekend, we expect to see Benjamin Mendy to be rested in place of Joao Cancelo. Since his arrival, Ruben Dias has barely missed a minute at City, so he may be rested tonight, with John Stones and Aymeric Laporte the chosen centre back pairing.

Midfielders:

Despite the problems at Manchester City this season, there’s no doubt that Guardiola has a very healthy squad of talent to choose from, especially in the midfield areas. We expect club talisman and captain Kevin de Bruyne to keep his place in the side tonight alongside Rodri in holding midfield and Germany international Ilkay Gundogan to complete the midfield three.

Forwards:

Raheem Sterling is back fit and available, so we expect him to start the match tonight as he looks to build his way back to full match sharpenss. Hat-trick hero from the weekend Riyad Mahrez will be hoping to start again tonight as he looks to build a run of form, that leaves Ferran Torres in the striker’s role with Jesus making his way to the bench.

Predicted XI: Ederson, Walker, Laporte, Stones, Cancelo, Rodri, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Sterling, Mahrez, Torres