Erling Haaland has been surprisingly named on the bench for Manchester City’s Premier League clash with Wolves this afternoon.
City need to end their four-game winless run within the league as they tackle bottom-of-the-table Wolves on the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
But Pep Guardiola has decided to ring the changes for after his side’s midweek defeat to Bodo/Glimt, with Haaland and Phil Foden dropping to the bench.
Haaland has scored only one goal in his last eight matches in all competitions in what has proven a jam-paced begin to the season for City.
Guardiola has publicly raised concerns about Haaland’s workload, admitting recently that the 25-year-old is ‘exhausted’.
The Spaniard withdrew Haaland within the closing stages of last weekend’s defeat to Manchester United and has now seemingly opted to bench his star striker to attempt to manage his minutes.
Asked about Haaland dropping to the bench pre-match, Guardiola told Sky Sports: ‘It’s a whole lot of games. I need just a little beat to scrub his mind, his body, and the choice is at all times because I consider for today it’s one of the best.’
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In his place, Omar Marmoush looks set to steer the road, with Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo on each flanks.
Elsewhere, Marc Guehi makes his City debut alongside Abdukodir Khusanov in central defence, while Mattheus Nunes has recovered from illness to start out at right-back.
Manchester City vs Wolves confirmed lineups
Man City starting XI: Donnarumma, Matheus Luiz, Khusanov, Guehi, O’Reilly, Rodri, Semenyo, Reijnders, Silva, Cherki, Marmoush.
Subs: Trafford, Ake, Haaland, Doku, Ait Nouri, Foden, Mukasa, Alleyne, Lewis.
Wolves starting XI: Jose Sa, Mosquera, Santiago Bueno, Krejci, Tchatchoua, Joao Gomes, Andre Trindade, Mane, Hugo Bueno, Arias, Hwang.
Subs: Johnstone, Doherty, Wolfe, Larsen, Agbadou, Arokodare, Pedro Lima, Rodrigo Gomes, Lopez.
In midweek, Haaland admitted that City’s current fixture load is ‘ridiculous, telling TNT Sports: ‘I don’t want to discuss how I feel, I do my best each time I’m on the pitch and I’m on the pitch quite actually because we play ridiculous amount of games.
‘I attempt to do my best, that’s my job and I attempt to prepare for the following game.’
Asked about City’s schedule on Friday, Guardiola said: ‘Why are we talking about this subject again? Nothing goes to vary? The last game in Bodo we had 11 absences , Aston Villa and Tottenham had quite a bit.
‘In a single period Arsenal had quite a bit. It’s a whole lot of games but how over and over will we speak about that? Play loads of games but 4 dayes between games however it doesn’t occur.
‘That’s not going to vary, we have a look at counting on our players and players with the physicality to sustain games. It’s difficult.’
City currently trail league leaders Arsenal by seven points, but can cut that result in 4 points with a win against Wolves, and apply pressure on the Gunners ahead of their clash with Manchester United on Sunday.
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