Manchester City turn their attentions back to the Premier League tonight with a Boxing Day clash against Newcastle United.
After booking a spot in the Carabao Cup semi-final in midweek with an emphatic victory over Arsenal, Pep Guardiola will be looking to close the current eight-point gap on Liverpool at the top of the table when struggling Newcastle visit the Etihad.
City face a run of four games in the next 10 days – including tough tests against Everton, Chelsea and the semi-final of the Carabao Cup away to Manchester United.
Pep Guardiola could be tempted, then, to shuffle his pack against a Newcastle side winless in three and coming into the game on the back of a cup exit to Championship side Brentford.
MEN Sport asked City fans for their ideal starting XI for tonight’s game and they want to see seven changes from the Arsenal win.
Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo, Fernandinho and Riyad Mahrez are the four players that supporters want to see stay in the team.
With Kyle Walker and Gabriel Jesus self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19, Cancelo will slot in at right-back, with Benjamin Mendy on the left and John Stones returning at the heart of defence with Dias. Ederson will replace Zack Steffen in goal.
City fans want to see a midfield three of Fernandinho, Ilkay Gundogan and the always-impressive Kevin De Bruyne.
Mahrez keeps his place on the right of a front three which includes Raheem Sterling and Ferran Torres.
City have enjoyed great success against Newcastle at the Etihad in recent seasons, unbeaten in the Premier League on home turf since 2000. The Blues have scored 21 goals in their last five home clashes against the Magpies.
Man City fan XI: Ederson; Cancelo, Stones, Dias, Mendy; Fernandinho, Gundogan, De Bruyne; Mahrez, Torres, Sterling.
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