Vital Man City has been critical of Pep Guardiola’s decision to sell Oleksandr Zinchenko without having a replacement left-back lined up. The delay in getting Marc Cucurella from Brighton & Hove Albion means City will go into Saturday’s Community Shield final with Liverpool without a natural option too.
Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker are available ahead of the weekend clash, so Guardiola has little choice other than to start them at left-back and right-back respectively. Josh Wilson-Esbrands did impress in pre-season and was praised by Pep Guardiola, but the 19-year-old may only make the bench.
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Guardiola only has Nathan Ake and Ruben Dias at centre-back too, as John Stones may be short of match fitness after missing the United States pre-season tour while Aymetic Laporte is currently sidelined with injury. So City could go into the weekend clash very thin at the back.
But even if Wilson-Esbrands doesn’t feature in the Community Shield final, he shouldn’t be dismayed. Guardiola said he could have a bright future, so the 19-year-old might have an opportunity to stay in the first-team as cover. And if he’s standing out in training, Wilson-Esbrands could be rewarded with opportunities at senior level.
In other news, Jamie Carragher gives ambitious prediction for Erling Haaland