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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Alex Brotherton

Man City fans demand eight changes to team for Sevilla Champions League fixture

Manchester City fans want Pep Guardiola to ring the changes when his side take on Sevilla on Wednesday night.

City's final group stage match of this season's Champions League is effectively a dead-rubber as the Blues got their business done early. City secured a place in the last-16 with a goalless draw in Copenhagen three weeks ago, before clinching top spot in Group G with another 0-0 tie in Germany against Borussia Dortmund.

With nothing riding on the game at all - Sevilla are guaranteed to finish third in the standings so have nothing to play for either - Guardiola is expected to rest some of his key players and give minutes to those who haven't played so much of late.

READ MORE: How Man City should line-up vs Sevilla in final Champions League group game

There will be some enforced absences though; Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips remain sidelined while Erling Haaland is not yet ready to return, although he could be fit for the visit of Fulham on Saturday.

With that in mind, City fans have used our team selection widget to vote on who they think Guardiola should name in his starting XI.

Goalkeeper

Stefan Ortega is one of the most nailed-on starters for this game. He played the full 90 minutes in Dortmund last week and looked good, and will get another chance to show what he can do tonight.

Defence

Joao Cancelo has played more minutes than any other City outfielder this season, so supporters want him to have a rest tonight. They want Rico Lewis to come in on the right of defence and Josh Wilson-Esbrand on the left.

Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake were the two centre-backs that started Saturday's defeat of Leicester on the bench, so it makes sense for them to start from the off tonight.

Midfield

The absence of Phillips makes it tricky to give Rodri a rest, but City fans want Guardiola to get creative. They want to see Ilkay Gundogan play as the holding midfielder with Cole Palmer and Sergio Gomez playing as the attacking midfielders either side.

It's definitely an option - Palmer has played in midfield for the EDS on plenty of occasions, while Gomez is arguably the most versatile member of City's senior squad. Like Oleksandr Zinchenko - the man he replaced - the Spaniard will do a job in pretty much any position.

Attack

Guardiola has already confirmed that Julian Alvarez will start up-front in place of Haaland, and supporters want him flanked by Riyad Mahrez on the right wing and Jack Grealish on the left.

Mahrez has endured a poor start to the season, but with nothing riding on tonight's game it could be an opportunity for the Algerian to try and build some confidence. Grealish started Saturday's win at Leicester, but he could use the outing to build momentum after some positive recent displays.

Fans' Man City XI to face Sevilla: Ortega; Lewis, Dias, Ake, Wilson-Esbrand; Gundogan, Palmer, Gomez; Mahrez, Alvarez, Grealish.

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