Pep Guardiola insists “fresh legs” are needed as he made seven changes to his Manchester City starting XI against Leeds United.
Kevin De Bruyne's return to fitness means he is back in the starting line-up. The Belgian had missed Manchester City’s previous two fixtures with a foot injury and there were fears he could miss the mammoth Champions League clash with Real Madrid.
However, Guardiola has thrown his talisman back into the starting XI - along with six more fresh faces. As well as De Bruyne, City also introduce Ederson, Rico Lewis, Manuel Akanji, Aymeric Laporte, Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden back into the fold.
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“We have come from a lot of games so I thought we needed fresh legs and a fresh mind,” Guardiola said pre-match. “He (De Bruyne) had some disturbance in his ankle, but it’s very important to have him and everyone ready.”
The Spaniard also backed Lewis to shine - just as he did at Elland Road in December. The youngster is making his first Premier League start since the 4-1 win at Bournemouth almost three months ago.
“The same how he has played so far this season and since he has arrived in this team,” Guardiola said when asked how he wants Lewis to play. “He has been massive. He played in the last game against Leeds, of course, the shape under Jesse Marsch will be different from today, but he has that special quality with the ball and we need a lot of rhythm and we believe that he can do it.”
Guardiola believes City will learn early on about how Leeds will approach the game under new boss Sam Allardyce. He added: “We will see in the first five or ten minutes whether they (will) play four or five at the back because Allardyce plays with four at the back.
“We know it is always a huge competitor and a master at set-pieces and when you play against these teams who are surviving to be in the Premier League it can become difficult. It was tough against West Ham and it depends on how we perform, that will be the difference.”
Man City's starting XI vs Leeds: Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Laporte, Ake, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Alvarez, Mahrez, Foden, Haaland.
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