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Man City team news: Expected XI vs PSG as Gabriel Jesus drops out and Fernandinho starts
Manchester City will return to Champions League action on Tuesday evening, traveling to Paris Saint-Germain for their second group stage match. The defending Premier League champions may be spared the task of neutralizing Lionel Messi at the Parc des Princes, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner battling to be passed fit before kickoff.
Sports Dias looks at the City team that could take the field this evening as they look to build on their 6-3 win over RB Leipzig with another important three points in Europe.
Goalkeeper – Ederson
Ederson is widely expected to keep his place between the posts for the trip to Paris.
The Brazilian goalkeeper was chosen ahead of second-choice Zack Steffen, who will continue to be reserved for domestic cup competitions.
He failed to keep a clean sheet the last time out and now faces an even more difficult task against PSG.
Even if Messi, who has yet to score for his new club, is eventually ruled out of the match, the likes of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, and Angel Di Maria will be hungry for goals.
Defence – Walker, Dias, Stones, Cancelo
Pep Guardiola may make one defensive change from Saturday’s win over Chelsea, with John Stones replacing Aymeric Laporte at center-back.
If selected, the England man will most likely partner Ruben Dias in the middle, while Kyle Walker will likely keep his spot on the right side.
Meanwhile, Joao Cancelo performed admirably against Chelsea and will be tasked with controlling the left flank.
Since the start of the season, City has kept five clean sheets in all competitions, and another organized performance at the back is expected to be critical in achieving a positive result against PSG this evening.
Midfield – Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne
Rodri played the entire 90 minutes against Chelsea three days ago and could be rested for tonight’s game, with Fernandinho capable of replacing him in the middle of the field.
The 36-year-old has only made two Premier League starts this season, but he is more than capable of keeping things running in the engine room when needed.
Fernandinho could play behind a central pairing of Bernardo Silva and Kevin de Bruyne, who is still recovering from an injury sustained in last season’s Champions League final.
However, the Belgian remains one of the best in the world in his position and will almost certainly be expected to pull the strings for City in Paris once more.
Attack – Grealish, Mahrez, Torres
Jack Grealish made an impression on his Champions League debut against Leipzig and could play a key role again for Guardiola’s side this evening.
On the opposite flank, the former Aston Villa captain could be joined by Riyad Mahrez, who scored against the Bundesliga outfit the last time they met.
Meanwhile, it appears that Ferran Torres will replace Gabriel Jesus at the tip of City’s attacking trident.
The Spaniard has already scored three goals this season, the most recent of which came earlier this month against Wycombe Wanderers in the Carabao Cup.
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Man City team news: Expected XI vs PSG as Gabriel Jesus drops out and Fernandinho starts
