Manchester City host Liverpool in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday and Guardiola must ensure that his team is in top form in order to avoid being knocked out of the tournament.
The first leg of the tie ended in disaster for the men in light blue as Liverpool stunned them with three first-half goals and most importantly, City failed to pick up that vital away goal. Now in the Man City vs Liverpool encounter at the Etihad, Guardiola will have to keep his hopes pinned on his players so that they can come up with the goods.
Here’s how Pep Guardiola might line up his team during the Man City vs Liverpool game.
Man City vs Liverpool: Liverpool team news
Like Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola too chose to rest some of his key players during the Manchester Derby but that didn’t turn out to work so well. Players like Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero started Saturday’s game against United on the bench but had to make second-half appearances. Against Liverpool, though both these players are more or less guaranteed starters.
New signing Laporte played in the left-back role against Liverpool in the first leg but Guardiola’s first choice left-back Fabian Delph will return to the starting eleven on Tuesday. The rest of the defensive line will look exactly the same from last week’s team sheet from Anfield.
Kevin De Bruyne started the Manchester Derby on the bench but the Belgian will start in midfield alongside David Silva and Fernandinho.
Leroy Sane has had two disappointing games within a span of a week but Guardiola will surely not risk dropping him to the bench at Etihad on Tuesday. The German International will start on the left flank.
Gabriel Jesus started the Anfield game but Sergio Aguero will be leading the line against Liverpool on Tuesday after having returned to full fitness from an injury. Guardiola chose not to start with Raheem Sterling in the first leg but we hope that the City boss will not be repeating that mistake once again this week.
Man City vs Liverpool: Man City’s predicted line up
Goalkeeper: Ederson
Defence: Delph, Kompany, Otamendi, Walker
Midfield: Silva, Fernandinho, De Bruyne
Attack: Sane, Aguero, Sterling
Manchester City will surely be on the back foot this Tuesday given the fact that they not only have to overcome a 3 goal deficit but at the same time they have to ensure that Liverpool go not score an away goal.
