How Man City should line up vs RB Leipzig in the Champions League
Manchester City have everything to play for on Tuesday in their Champions League second leg against RB Leipzig, and selection dilemmas all over the pitch.
Pep Guardiola dropped Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker at Crystal Palace on Saturday, with his four centre-backs performing well in the back four at Selhurst Park. Likewise, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva performed well in the centre and there were also encouraging performances from Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez in attack.
Guardiola used Walker as a winger in the first leg, and Riyad Mahrez scored City’s only goal, so the manager may be tempted to bring both back for the second leg.
Rodri, Ederson, and Erling Haaland are the three automatic picks in this team for such a game, and Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake probably make it as well on current form. Given how well the defence did in keeping out Crystal Palace, I’d be tempted to stick with the same backline that saw four central defenders in there.
De Bruyne has been too important on nights such as this not to play, although I would surround him with players that can keep the ball to make sure there are not too many risks taken. That means Ilkay Gundogan in midfield, and Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish on the wings.
Joe Bray
This is potentially the most difficult line-up of the season to predict so far. There are seven defenders all capable of playing, four central midfielders, and four wingers. Only Ederson, Rodri and Erling Haaland can realistically be confident of starting. I’d play a traditional back four, recalling Walker and keeping Nathan Ake at left-back. Ruben Dias and John Stones are probably the most experienced pair, however unfair that would be on the brilliant Manuel Akanji.
De Bruyne sounds like he has a point to prove, and he will create chances, so I’d play him alongside Gundogan in midfield – using Bernardo off the bench for energy in the second half.
In attack, Mahrez will be fresh, and Foden dropped his levels ever so slightly at Crystal Palace. The Grealish-Mahrez combination worked well in the first half in Germany, so I’d recreate that in the home leg.
