False start in Euro campaign
with no centre-back pairing shipping more goals for Guardiola than Otamendi and John Stones, City will hope Fernandinho can form a partnership with the Argentina defender.
The midfield will likely look more familiar with Kevin De Bruyne coming back into the serious scrutiny. And John Stones’s injury has only thrown the backline into further disarray. Benjamin Mendy is approaching full fitness, Joao Cancelo is champing at the bit, and Fernandinho will now have to play at centre-back.
ZINCHENKO’S CHANCE UKRAINE hero Zinchenko sat alongside Guardiola at last year’s fixture in Kharkiv and mentioned fold after his surprise dropping at the weekend alongside Rodri and David Silva.
The forward line could see more changes, however. Riyad Mahrez is unlucky not to have played more this season and deserves another opportunity to impress on the right. that he had around 40 family coming to the game. No doubt it was a major disappointment when he did not make the matchday 18 for the game. The chances of that history repeating itself are slim, with Mendy perhaps only fit enough for a place on the bench.
NO REPEAT OF HISTORY City’s defeat by Shakhtar two years ago was hailed as a big result
Gabriel Jesus has also looked bright when given chances this season and since he scored a hat-trick against the Ukrainians last time they met he should get the nod here.
That leaves Raheem Sterling as the only undropped member of attack. for the Ukrainian champions. But it was against a scratch City side that had already secured qualification and included Fernandinho, Eliaquim Mangala and Tosin Adarabioyo in a shaky back three, and Phil Foden as a fish-outof-water left wing back.
That 2-1 reverse was rectified last season, with City winning 3-0 in Kharkiv and 6-0 at the Etihad.