Manchester City have the advantage in the Premier League title race and will look to take one step closer to glory when they face Wolves on Wednesday.
Seven points from their next three games will guarantee the title for City, who must navigate the remainder of the season without three senior defenders and perhaps even a fourth. Not ideal.
Here’s the lineup Pep Guardiola could choose.
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GK: Ederson – Tied with Alisson for 20 clean sheets this season, it’s a shoot-out for the Golden Glove award.
RB: Joao Cancelo – Kyle Walker is out for the season so Cancelo will be needed over on his natural (and arguably weaker) side.
CB: Aymeric Laporte – Laporte is the last senior centre-back standing as Ruben Dias and John Stones have both been ruled out for the season, while Nathan Ake might be done for the year too.
CB: Fernandinho – Expect Fernandinho to fill the void in defence, with Luke Mbete and CJ Egan-Riley moving up to the bench.
LB: Oleksandr Zinchenko – With Cancelo on the right and Ake out injured, Zinchenko is the only senior option at left-back.
DM: Rodri – Don’t be surprised to see Rodri used in defence at some point over the next few weeks, but for now, his position is in midfield.
CM: Bernardo Silva – Given a rest against Newcastle, Silva will surely return to the starting lineup for this one.
CM: Kevin De Bruyne – In some outstanding form right now, De Bruyne is three assists off hitting double figures for the year.
RW: Riyad Mahrez – Also benched against Newcastle, Mahrez deserves his place in the starting lineup back.
LW: Raheem Sterling – Netted two goals last time out and could be shifted over to the left wing.
ST: Gabriel Jesus – Erling Haaland is coming, could Jesus be going?
