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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Alex Brotherton

Three things that will 'definitely' happen at Man City before the end of the season

Now that the January transfer window is out of the way, Manchester City can get back to focusing on the tasks at hand.

Pep Guardiola's side are fighting on three fronts, with the games about to come thick and fast after a month or so of only playing once a week.

The Blues are looking to win a fourth Premier League title in five seasons and with a nine-point lead over closest challengers Liverpool they look well placed to do just that.

City resume their Champions League campaign against Sporting Lisbon in two weeks, while they are hoping to win the FA Cup for just the second time under Guardiola.

While City fight for those targets, what things will we see from Guardiola's side?

Zinchenko fightback

As you will no doubt know by now, City will be without the services of Kyle Walker for both legs of their Champions League round of 16 tie against Sporting and, should they get there, the first leg of the quarter-final.

That's because UEFA increased the automatic one-match suspension Walker received after getting sent off against RB Leipzig in December to three games, describing his tackle on Andre Silva as "assault".

Joao Cancelo will likely deputise for him with Oleksandr Zinchenko coming in at left-back to facilitate the Portugal star's shift across the defence. However, we could see a lot more of Zinchenko than that.

Having made just 12 appearances this season, Guardiola is unlikely to throw the Ukrainian into important European fixtures without giving him a few games to build up his rhythm and sharpness. We could see a lot more of him in the final three months of the campaign.

Joao Cancelo trick

City announced on Tuesday that Cancelo has signed a two-year contract extension, keeping him at the club until 2027. Cancelo has played a pivotal role in City's success so far this season, having nailed down the starting left-back role as if it were his natural position.

One thing that marks Cancelo out from his peers is his propensity to make spectacular passes with the outside of his right foot, even if he could just as easily make the same ball with his left.

We're confident Cancelo will make at least one outside-of-the-foot pass in every game before the end of the season and we're not complaining one bit.

Another emotional goodbye

Most of us aren't really over the departure and then heartbreaking retirement of City legend and all-time leading goalscorer Sergio Aguero, but don't put the tissues away just yet.

While there has been no official word from City yet, it seems likely that this season will be Fernandinho's last in a sky blue shirt. The club captain is now 36 and there has been no talk of City extending his current contract which expires in June.

The Brazilian has been a superb servant to City since arriving from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013. With four Premier League titles, six Carabao Cups and one FA Cup to his name so far, it'll be hard to wave goodbye if this is to be his final season in sky blue.

City's final game of the season sees them host Aston Villa and there likely won't be a dry eye in the Etihad Stadium if indeed Fernandinho does announce his departure before then.

What do you think we'll definitely see from City in the rest of the season? Follow our City Is Ours writer Alex Brotherton on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts in the comments section below.

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