Khusanov and Marmoush in for City debuts and Reis on bench for Chelsea clash | OneFootball

New signings Abdukodir Khusanov and Omar Marmoush are both handed immediate City debuts with fellow January arrival Vitor Reis named on the bench for Saturday’s Premier League home clash with Chelsea.

From the side that began last Wednesday’s Champions League clash away to Paris Saint-Germain, manager Pep Guardiola makes three changes all told.

Khusanov, who joined us from Lens, and striker Marmoush, who arrived from Eintracht Frankfurt, both on a four-and half-year deal, each go straight into the starting line-up for their competitive City debuts.

Meanwhile full-back Reis, who signed from Brazilian side Palmeiras – also on a four-and half-year deal – starts on the bench.

Ilkay Gundogan also comes into the starting line-up with Kevin De Bruyne and Savinho reverting to the bench.

Ruben Dias, who also started in Paris, is ruled out through injury as are Jeremy Doku and Nathan  Ake.

Rodri is still unavailable as he continues his recovery from long term injury.

Oscar Bobb also sits out today as he continues to build up match fitness after being out since last August with a leg injury.

Teams

CITY XI: Ederson, Nunes, Khusanov, Akanji, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Gundogan, Bernardo (C), Marmoush, Foden, Haaland

Subs: Ortega, Stones, Grealish, De Bruyne, Reis, Savio, O'Reilly, Lewis, McAteeCHELSEA: To follow

Subs: To follow

WATCH: Pep: We need our people more than ever

Formation/Tactics

Ederson will be the familiar figure in goal with the Brazilian protected by a back four of Matheus Nunes, Khusanov, Manuel Akanji and Josko Gvardiol.

Mateo Kovacic will be the holding midfielder with Gundogan and skipper Bernardo Silva also in the engine room.

Erling Haaland is set to operate as the striking focal point with Marmoush and Phil Foden providing the attacking width.

However, as always, such is the tactical and technical flexibility within Pep’s squad that formation could be subject to change!

Sudden impact?

It’s a huge occasion for both Marmoush and Khusanov as they step out in front of an Etihad full house for their City debuts just days after arriving.

It promises to be an exciting and full-blooded introduction to the Premier League for the pair.

But what an opportunity to make a sudden impact and get their City careers off to a flying start!

Heavyweight clash

They don’t only share a Blue colour but City and Chelsea have emerged as two of the Premier League’s genuine heavyweights over the past 15 years.

The pair have, more often than not, fought for supremacy at the top end of the Premier League table and have also met numerous times both in the domestic English Cups and, of course, the 2021 Champions League final.

Now the pair are battling it out once more as the race to secure a top four finish – and with it a place in next season’s Champions League – intensifies.

Going into this evening’s game Chelsea sit in fourth place in the table having amassed 40 points from 22 games to date.

City sit one place behind in fifth with a tally of 38 points.

It means the stakes couldn’t be higher for a match that is normally one of the highlights of the domestic season.

WATCH: City's best home Premier League moments against Chelsea

Looks familiar

There are numerous City links in the current Chelsea ranks.

Former Argentine and City keeper Willy Cabaellero is now part of the Chelsea backroom staff while former Academy graduate Tosin Adarabioyo made the move to Stamford Bridge from Fulham last summer.

But the two standout names are Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca and the London side’s key talisman Cole Palmer.

Maresca spent two highly successful spells here at City – first as our Elite Development Squad boss in 2020/21 where he guided the side to a first ever Premier League 2 title.

After a subsequent spell in charge at Parma, the Italian then returned to City at the outset of the 2022/23 campaign, this time as part of Pep Guardiola’s backroom staff, where he played his key part as the Club recorded a historic Treble.

Palmer meanwhile spent more than a decade at City where he emerged as one of the shining lights from our Academy.

The England attacking midfielder went on to be part of City’s Treble winning squad and also was on target to help us win the 2023 UEFA Super Cup before then leaving to join Chelsea.

Since then, he has made a huge impact both in West London and as part of the England squad.

So City will be especially wary of the 22-year-old’s threat this afternoon.

WATCH: Christiansen: Marmoush could be just what City need

Stats and facts

• Manchester City are unbeaten in our last seven Premier League games against Chelsea (W5 D2), since a 2-1 home loss in May 2021.

• Chelsea have kept just one clean sheet in their last 16 Premier League away games against City (1-0 in February 2014), failing to score themselves on seven occasions in that run.

• This is the latest into a Premier League campaign that Chelsea are facing City while above them in the table since 2016-17, when they won 2-1 at Stamford Bridge on MD30 en route to winning the title under Antonio Conte.

• After a run of just one win in nine Premier League games from the start of November (D2 L6), Manchester City have now won three of their last four (D1). They’ve scored 14 goals in this run, more than they had in their previous 11 league games (13).

• Having failed to win just two of their first eight Premier League away games this season (W6 D1 L1), Chelsea are now winless in their last three on the road (D2 L1). They’ve scored just once in these three games, having averaged 2.9 goals-per-game in their previous eight (23 scored in total).

• Phil Foden has scored in each of his last three Premier League games for Manchester City, netting five goals in total. He’s never scored in four consecutive league appearances before.

• Chelsea pair Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke have created 25 chances for each other in the Premier League this season, the most of any duo. Meanwhile, Palmer’s 17 chances created for Madueke is the most one player has created for a specific teammate this term.

• This game could be Rico Lewis’ 50th Premier League appearance, and he would reach that total at the age of 20 years and 65 days, the second-youngest of any City player, behind Micah Richards (19y 105d). He would also be the second-youngest player to make 50 top-flight appearances under Pep Guardiola, behind Bojan for Barcelona (20y 25d).

• City’s Kevin De Bruyne has provided four assists in his last three Premier League games, including two against Ipswich last time out. The Belgian also has five Premier League goals against former side Chelsea, only netting more against Arsenal in the competition (8).