Pep Guardiola has already confirmed Aleks Zinchenko will start in Tuesday’s FA Cup tie with Peterborough United and there has now been a big hint as to who won’t be involved – at least from the start.
Manchester City will be hoping to continue their advance in the FA Cup when they travel to the Championship side and it appears that Guardiola will name a strong side.
Many fans were hoping to see some of the club’s exciting youth prospects given a chance from the start at London Road but the Under-23s are in action on Monday night and Liam Delap, James McAtee, Kayky and Sam Edozie all started from the off. As a result, none of them are likely to start in the senior match on Tuesday but may still be involved on the bench.
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One player who wasn’t involved in the youngsters’ match with Leicester City was midfielder Romeo Lavia, however, which may suggest he will line up in midfield. Fernandinho will likely join him in the three and Ilkay Gundogan may he keep his spot.
Zinchenko will probably start at left-back after Guardiola confirmed he would play on Tuesday following a difficult week. The Ukrainian was in tears ahead of Saturday’s victory at Everton, along with compatriot Vitali Mykolenko, as both clubs made a touching display of support amid Russia’s invasion of their country.
“Yeah. I think it will be good for him to play and show the reason why he’s here,” the manager said.
Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake may also come into the back-line but John Stones remain in the side but move from right-back to the middle.
In attack, it would make a lot of sense for Jack Grealish and Gabriel Jesus to both start for the first time in a couple of weeks after they made their returns from injuries on the bench at Goodison Park. With the likes of Delap and McAtee unlikely to start and Cole Palmer still sidelined, Riyad Mahrez is the most likely candidate to make up the forward line.
City predicted starting XI vs Peterborough: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Ake, Zinchenko; Fernandinho, Lavia, Gundogan; Mahrez, Jesus, Grealish.
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