Manchester City travel to Goodison Park to face Everton in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on Saturday evening and Pep Guardiola is expected to make a few changes after City’s midweek excursions in the Champions League.
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Ederson has sat out of the FA Cup previously and might be rested for Zach Steffen. The 25-year-old has played every minute of every domestic cup outing this season (Transfermarkt), so that should continue against Everton.
Joao Cancelo was protected after an hour in Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach (Transfermarkt), so he might start on Saturday. He started at left-back in midweek but might replace Kyle Walker on the right. Oleksandr Zinchenko was given 30 minutes from the bench against Gladbach and may be handed a start on the left.
Aymeric Laporte partnered Eric Garcia at centre-back in City’s FA Cup win over Swansea City, but Guardiola might have the in-form John Stones replace the latter as Everton are a much stronger opposition.
Fernandinho came off the bench against Gladbach and came off the bench in City’s last Premier League game, so he might be given the nod over Rodri as he’s proven reliable in the holding role.
Ilkay Gundogan is one of the first names on the teammate with 15 goals from midfield this season, so he’ll certainly start. Kevin De Bruyne is a key playmaker and needs regular minutes to recapture his form, so he should partner the German international.
Bernardo Silva has been influential for City and a regular in the starting lineup under Guardiola, so he could start against Everton. Raheem Sterling hasn’t played much of late but might get an opportunity to prove his worth from the start after coming off the bench in midweek.
Sergio Aguero led the line for City in their last FA Cup clash, so he might get the nod over Gabriel Jesus again.
Predicted XI to face Everton: Steffen; Cancelo, Laporte, Stones, Zinchenko; Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Gundogan; Silva, Aguero, Sterling