Manchester City is gearing up for their Carabao Cup third-round match against Watford, with Pep Guardiola facing the challenge of managing a growing injury list. After a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Arsenal on Sunday, City will be without key players such as Nathan Ake, Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, and Erling Haaland, who is away attending a funeral in Norway.
In the predicted starting line-up for the Watford clash, Stefan Ortega Moreno is expected to start in goal. Rico Lewis could return at right-back, while John Stones and Manuel Akanji form the center-back partnership. With limited options at left-back due to Ake’s absence, Josh Wilson-Esbrand might get a rare opportunity to showcase his skills.
In the midfield, teenager Nico O’Reilly could step in for the injured Rodri, alongside Matheus Nunes and James McAtee to provide creativity. The attacking trio may feature Bernardo Silva on the right, Phil Foden in a false-nine role, and Jack Grealish on the left, with McAtee also a potential option up front.
Guardiola will be looking to rotate the squad and give some players much-needed rest ahead of a busy schedule. The substitutes bench is filled with experienced players like Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, and Ilkay Gundogan, providing options for Guardiola to make tactical changes as needed during the match.
It will be interesting to see how City’s predicted line-up performs against Watford, as they aim to progress in the Carabao Cup and continue their pursuit of silverware this season. Guardiola’s selection decisions will be crucial in balancing rest and performance as City navigates through a challenging period with multiple fixtures in a short span of time.