Manchester City travel to the King Power Stadium to face Liverpool in the Community Shield final on Saturday evening and Nathan Ake could be in line to start despite almost leaving over the summer.
Who will win the Community Shield final?
Man City
Liverpool
John Stones would normally play ahead of Ake but could be short of match fitness after failing to make City’s pre-season tour. Aymeric Laporte would also normally start ahead of the 27-year-old but is currently sidelined with injury, so Pep Guardiola has little choice but to plump for Ake.
It’s quite a turnaround for the Netherlands international after being on the brink of a Chelsea move just weeks ago. The Blues signed Raheem Sterling and wanted Ake to join him at Stamford Bridge, but they wouldn’t match City’s asking price.
Guardiola granted the centre-back a departure when Chelsea came knocking but was equally happy to keep him in Manchester as Ake is a useful player who’d be hard to replace. And now he needs the 27-year-old to start ahead of the 28-year-old who didn’t feature in pre-season.
Alex Brotherton of the Manchester Evening News noted that Stones’ hopes of winning his place back this season took a big hit due to missing the tour, so the door may be open to Ake if he gets the nod and impresses.
In other news, Jamie Carragher gives ambitious prediction for Erling Haaland
Final? It’s a pre-season friendly, not a final.