Manchester City and Luton Town have confirmed their starting lineups ahead of today’s critical Premier League encounter at the Etihad Stadium. It is a must win match for both teams for contrasting reasons. Pep Guardiola’s side are looking to maintain their chase for a fourth consecutive Premier League title. The Hatters are fighting for their Premier League survival, so both teams will be desperate for three points today.
For the champions, they come into today’s game after their thrilling 3-3 all draw with Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. They also have several injury concerns heading into today’s game following the mid-week thriller. Nathan Ake and Kyle Walker could both miss today’s game. The pair didn’t travel to Spain in midweek for the Real Madrid clash, putting them in doubt for today’s match.
There were also doubts over John Stones, Kevin De Bruyne, and Phil Foden for today’s game. De Bruyne and Foden have been pictured training following City’s draw in Spain, which have eased fears of the pair missing today’s game. Pep Guardiola didn’t have an update on Stones’s status at his press conference yesterday. The availability of the England international wouldn’t be known until the champions had trained yesterday, the City manager revealed.
Here are the starting lineups ahead of another critical game for Manchester City.
Manchester City
Pep Guardiola has made 6 changes to the team that played in midweek. In comes Ederson, Rico Lewis, Matheus Nunes, Julian Alvarez, Jeremy Doku, and Kevin De Bruyne. Out goes Stefan Ortega, John Stones, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Jack Grealish, and Phil Foden.
Ederson returns for his first start since suffering a thigh injury against Liverpool last month at Anfield.
Another surprise is the return of Nathan Ake to the matchday squad. It is welcome news for the treble winners given the hectic schedule they are in the midst of and Ake’s importance to Pep Guardiola’s team. Kyle Walker also returns to the City squad after returning from a hamstring injury in a huge boost for the European champions.
John Stones isn’t with the Manchester City squad for today’s game. An update is expected from Pep Guardiola on the status of Stones either before or after today’s game.
Starting lineup: Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Nunes, De Bruyne (C), Alvarez, Doku, Haaland.
Substitutes: Stefan Ortega, Walker, Ake, Grealish, Rodri, Bernardo, Gomez, Foden, Bobb.
Your City side for #MCILUT 🩵
XI | Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Nunes, De Bruyne (C), Alvarez, Doku, Haaland
SUBS | Ortega Moreno, Walker, Ake, Grealish, Rodrigo, Bernardo, Gomez, Foden, Bobb#ManCity | @etihad | @citcmancity pic.twitter.com/KaqnC9ab3l
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 13, 2024
Luton Town
Your Hatters in the North West🫡 pic.twitter.com/PikyeIzQbb
— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) April 13, 2024
