Rico Lewis and Aymeric Laporte BOTH to start – Predicted XI: Everton vs Manchester City (Premier League) | OneFootball

Manchester City return to Premier League action with a weekend clash against relegation-threatened Everton on Sunday afternoon.

The visit to Merseyside is a fixture sandwiched between two mammoth meetings with Champions League experts Real Madrid, as two of Europe’s heavyweights go head-to-head for a spot in the 2023 Istanbul-based final.

City come into the game against Sean Dyche’s side off the back of the first-leg of that affair, after a sensational Kevin De Bruyne second-half goal secured a 1-1 draw at the scoreline to bring into the second-leg on Wednesday night.

As for Everton, the Toffees will be full of confidence during a crucial run of games at the foot of the table, after they registered a monumental 1-5 away victory against Brighton & Hove Albion on the south coast earlier in the week.

With Pep Guardiola needing to find the perfect balance between handing out rest to the more crucial members of his system, and fielding a strong enough line-up to dispatch of Everton, here is how we predict the Catalan boss will line-up his squad on Sunday afternoon!

Predicted XI

While Pep Guardiola has already proven that he is not afraid of rotating goalkeepers in the Premier League, we believe that Ederson will start as expected this weekend.

Kyle Walker highlighted his important in largely nullifying Real Madrid’s electric left-hand side on Tuesday night, and the Englishman will certainly be needed in the second-leg. As such, Rico Lewis could come into the eleven against Everton.

John Stones is irreplaceable at the moment, and his highlighting exceptional fitness levels at the most crucial phase of the season. The England international could start at the heart of defence and form a partnership with Aymeric Laporte.

With doubts still lingering over the fitness of Nathan Ake, and a lack of faith being shown in Sergio Gomez as a left-back, Manuel Akanji is expected to fill in on that side of defence – although Laporte could very much do the same.

Given the magnitude of this weekend’s contest, irrespective of the tie that looms in midweek, Manchester City will once again require the services of Rodri, and the Spaniard is unlikely to be handed the opportunity to rest.

Ahead of the defensive midfield role, which could become a double-pivot in possession, Kevin De Bruyne could start alongside Julian Alvarez – with the Argentine remaining an unused substitute at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night.

Riyad Mahrez was another option that remained unused from the substitutes bench, but remains a crucial name in the attacking format for Pep Guardiola, and we expect the Algerian to make a start this weekend.

Erling Haaland is more than likely to continue up front.

Phil Foden could come into the team and operate from the left-hand side, and give Jack Grealish a rest ahead of the second-leg with meeting with Real Madrid, after his joyful outing in the first portion of 90 minutes.

Starting XI: Ederson; Lewis, Stones, Laporte, Akanji; Rodri, De Bruyne, Alvarez; Mahrez, Haaland, Foden.

Substitutes: Ortega, Walker, Dias, Gomez, Phillips, Gundogan, Bernardo, Palmer, Grealish.