Manchester City’s pursuit of Club World Cup glory continues on Monday, and Pep Guardiola is preparing to shake things up for their last-16 showdown against Al-Hilal in Orlando. After comfortably dismantling Juventus 5-2 in the group stage, Guardiola is set to make up to eight changes, using the squad’s depth to full advantage.
Despite a shaky moment from Ederson during the last match, the Brazilian is expected to retain his place in goal. His mistake is unlikely to cost him, with Guardiola opting for stability at the back. Meanwhile, Matheus Nunes will likely stay put at right-back as Rico Lewis continues to serve his three-match suspension following a red card in the opening fixture against Wydad AC.
Nico Gonzalez and Ilkay Gundogan could form a fresh midfield partnership, offering balance and control, while the defensive line might also get a makeover. Josko Gvardiol and Abdukodir Khusanov are both in contention to feature centrally, with youngster Nico O’Reilly a candidate to start at left-back.
Up front, changes are expected to make the attack more dynamic. Jeremy Doku may hold onto his spot from the Juventus win, but Erling Haaland is tipped to start after coming off the bench to net his 300th career goal. He could replace Omar Marmoush, while Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden – both impactful substitutes last time – are pushing for starts to increase firepower from the get-go.
One notable absentee is Claudio Echeverri, who is still nursing an ankle injury and could miss the rest of the tournament. Aside from him and the suspended Lewis, Guardiola has the full squad at his disposal and seems ready to utilize it.
With tactical rotations expected across all areas of the pitch, Guardiola is clearly aiming to balance energy and quality as City advance deeper into the tournament.
Predicted Man City XI:
Ederson; Nunes, Khusanov, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Gonzalez, Gundogan; Cherki, Foden, Doku; Haaland.