Stones And Fernandinho, Aguero On The Bench: City’s Predicted XI To Face Southampton

Stones And Fernandinho, Aguero On The Bench: City’s Predicted XI To Face Southampton

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will likely restore a number of first-team players to the starting line up after resting a number of stars on Tuesday for the Carabao Cup win over the Saints.

Fernandinho is back from suspension so he could come back into partner John Stones in the centre of defence, with Joao Cancelo replacing Kylie Walker on the right, and Benjamin Mendy returning at left-back.

Rodri’s absence through injury and Fernandinho’s presence in defence means Ilkay Gundogan will likely continue in the deepest lying midfield role, with Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva either side of him.


Both Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva started midweek so it’s a flip of a coin who starts out wide, but the Portuguese international may be given the nod to start. Raheem Sterling can’t be left out due to his stellar form this campaign.

Up front, it seems Guardiola is favouring Gabriel Jesus ahead of Sergio Aguero in league games currently so the Brazilian may continue as the main striker this afternoon.

Manchester City’s Predicted XI To Face Southampton:

Ederson, Cancelo, Stones, Fernandinho, Mendy, De Bruyne, Gundogan, David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Jesus, Sterling

David Tully

David Tully

David has worked as a football reporter for the last fifteen years. Having started as an intern at Snack Media, he then went on to become a freelancer, working on various different sites. At the start of 2023, he took up his current role as content writer for National World's Football News Network.