Manchester City will go head-to-head against RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Tuesday, in a highly-anticipated second leg following a 1-1 draw last month.
The game promises to be a challenging one, and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has several selection dilemmas to address across the pitch.
In the team's previous match, Guardiola dropped Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker, opting for a back four that included four centre-backs who performed exceptionally well against Crystal Palace. Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva stood out in midfield, while Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, and Julian Alvarez impressed in attack.
During the first leg, Guardiola used Walker as a winger, with Riyad Mahrez scoring the only goal for Manchester City. As such, the manager may be tempted to bring both Walker and De Bruyne back for the second leg. Rodri, Ederson, and Erling Haaland are the three automatic picks in the team for such a crucial game, while Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake have also been in excellent form.
Given the backline's impressive performance against Crystal Palace, Guardiola is likely to stick with the same defence in the second leg. However, De Bruyne's importance in games of this magnitude cannot be understated, and Guardiola is expected to include him in the lineup. To minimize the risks taken on the pitch, Guardiola is likely to surround De Bruyne with players that can keep possession, such as Gundogan in midfield and Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish on the wings.
Manchester City will undoubtedly have their work cut out for them against RB Leipzig, but with Guardiola's strategic planning and a strong starting lineup, they have every chance of advancing to the next round of the competition.
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