Man City predicted lineup vs Newcastle - FA Cup
- Ederson suffered an injury against Liverpool and misses out
- Man City also without Kevin De Bruyne after fresh groin issue
- Stefan Ortega and Oscar Bobb poised for FA Cup starts
By Euan Burns
Manchester City's relentless quest for silverware will continue on Saturday as they host Newcastle in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Pep Guardiola's side are looking to defend the trophy that they won with relative ease last season but Newcastle have the quality to give them a serious test. The build-up to the match has been dominated by injuries to key players in both teams, perhaps more so for Man City.
Kevin De Bruyne has got a new groin injury which has seen him be left out of the Belgium squad for the March internationals, whilst Ederson is out for four weeks after getting injured whilst fouling Darwin Nunez against Liverpool.
With that in mind, here is the Man City team that Guardiola may choose to take on Newcastle.
Man City predicted lineup vs Newcastle (4-2-3-1)
GK: Stefan Ortega - Ederson's backup has been very patient given Guardiola uses his first-choice in more games than most coaches would, but now he needs to step up and perform consistently for around a month.
RB: Kyle Walker - One of three Man City players in the England squad, Kyle Walker would perhaps be rested here if they were facing a weaker opponent but Guardiola cannot rotate too heavily.
CB: Ruben Dias - Similarly, Ruben Dias is a player that Guardiola will only go without if he is really sure that the result is going to go his way. The Portuguese centre-back has never looked like he can't handle the busy schedule.
CB: Nathan Ake - He is looking to make amends after the short back pass that led to Ederson fouling Nunez, getting injured, and then Liverpool scoring. It could prove to be a very costly mistake if Ortega does not deputise effectively for Ederson.
LB: Josko Gvardiol - Having spent time out injured, this is an ideal opportunity for Josko Gvardiol to get some minutes in his legs. There is a chance that Sergio Gomez gets the chance instead, although Guardiola seems unwilling to play him often.
CM: Rodri - Just like Dias, Rodri is an automatic starter for Man City and whilst there is regular rotation alongside him, the Spaniard will continue to run games until the end of the season.
CM: Mateo Kovacic - There is a battle between Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes to start with Rodri in this FA Cup but the Croatian is the more creative player and should be Guardiola's choice.
RW: Oscar Bobb - This is a good chance to give Phil Foden a small rest and Guardiola certainly likes Oscar Bobb, so the young Norwegian should get a chance to impress from the first whistle.
AM: Julian Alvarez - Man City have just released a documentary about Julian Alvarez titled 'Standing Alone' which is all about his incredible year of winning all there is to win. If that doesn't make him want to grab a few FA Cup goals then what will?
LW: Jeremy Doku - He was lucky not to have a penalty given against him in the final few minutes at Anfield, but this is a chance for him to continue showing why he is a better choice on the left wing than Jack Grealish.
ST: Erling Haaland - With Alvarez playing as a 'ten', Erling Haaland will be upfront again. He didn't score against Liverpool so he will be naturally angered, which may be terrible news for Newcastle.
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