Manchester City return to European football as they host German side Borussia Monchengladbach tomorrow night. Given that they have a fully fit squad, we should be seeing a fair amount of changes to their team.
City will feel relaxed and loose heading into this second leg given their form and also due to the two goal lead that they have in the tie.
The important aspect of those two goals is that they came away from home. Gladbach come into this game in terrible form as they have lost their last six matches. It will be quite a challenge for them to overturn this deficit.
Pep Guardiola tried out a new formation against Fulham, but will likely be returning to his usual 4-3-3 here. Ederson will be in goal and there will be a couple of changes made to the defence.
John Stones and Benjamin Mendy will drop to the bench. Oleksandr Zinchenko will come in for the Frenchman as the left back. Kyle Walker will start at right back. As for the centre back pairing, it will be Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte.
City can play with some freedom given the lead they already have. This will see the likes of Ilkay Gundogan, and Kevin De Bruyne become even more dangerous.
They will have more license to roam forward and that can create more chances. The latter in particular will look to use his passing skills to cut open the visitor’s defence.
Along with these two, it will be the Brazilian Fernandinho completing the midfield. If these three can get a lot of the ball, it will prove to be a long night for the German side. Manchester City played with two strikers on Saturday, but that will probably not be the case on Tuesday. There will be some width being provided in the form of Raheem Sterling on the left and Phil Foden on the right.
Gabriel Jesus will keep his place after getting a goal, as Sergio Aguero and Ferran Torres drop to the bench. City know they have a lead but they will still want to get a win anyway. Given their recent form, Guardiola will be confident of getting one.
Predicted Manchester City Starting XI Against Borussia Monchengladbach (4-3-3):
Ederson, Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Gabriel Jesus, Raheem Sterling