Man City News

Haaland benched, Alvarez starts – Man City confirm starting lineup v Copenhagen

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Manchester City have confirmed their starting lineup to face FC Copenhagen and the big news is Erling Haaland has been named on the bench. Julian Alvarez will lead the line in his stead as City seek a win to book their place in the knockout round of the Champions League.

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Sergio Gomez will start at left-back after being left out of City’s 4-0 win over Southampton – Pep Guardiola named Manuel Akanji as a makeshift right-back so Joao Cancelo could keep his place on the left. He’s preferred to start Gomez in Europe rather than the Premier League.

Aymeric Laporte comes into the starting eleven after being an unused substitute against the Saints. He played a full 90 minutes in City’s 5-0 win over Copenhagen last Wednesday but was dropped for Nathan Ake on Saturday. Laporte will partner Akanji with Ruben Dias and Ake dropping to the bench.

Bernardo Silva drops to the bench for Ilkay Gundogan to captain the side in midfield. Kevin De Bruyne will start alongside him with Rodri in the deep-lying role. Riyad Mahrez keeps his place, but Jack Grealish has returned to the starting XI in place of Phil Foden.

Alvarez has been given his second start in the Champions League for City, but this is the first time he’ll lead the line on his own.

In other news, stats show likely outcome of FC Copenhagen v Man City

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