Manchester City will be looking to make a winning start to their pre-season preparations when they lock horns with Club America at the NRG Stadium in Houston in the early hours of Thursday morning, BST.
City, who travelled to the US over the weekend, will be looking to make an ideal start to what promises to be a relatively short pre-season campaign. After facing Club America, they only have one more friendly in the US before travelling back to England, facing Bayern Munich at Lambeau Field this weekend. Although it's only a short pre-season schedule, manager Pep Guardiola will be aiming to use both fixtures to get a feel of his squad and see how they are shaping up ahead of the new campaign.
The Catalan did take a 26-man squad to the US with him, but that is soon expected to reduce to 25, with Oleksandr Zinchenko on the cusp of sealing a move to Arsenal. Nevertheless, he still has plenty of options available to him.
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City's quartet of new signings - Stefan Ortega, Kalvin Phillips, Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez - have all been included in the squad and will be looking to make their debuts for the club against Club America. All eyes will be on Haaland, with the Norwegian having scooped the title of City's headline additionb this summer.
Although all eyes will be on Haaland and the fellow new recruits, Guardiola is likely to go with Ederson between the sticks. The Brazilian played a key role in the club's latest Premier League title tilt last season and will, because of a short pre-season schedule, be in pole position to start. Ortega will get a chance to impress, but it may come via the bench.
The back-four is likely to feature a blend of youth and experience, with Guardiola having included a crop of youngsters in the squad he has taken to the US with him. Luke Mbete is the most likely of the young defenders to start, potentially joining Nathan Ake at centre-back.
Ruben Dias missed training on Tuesday, meaning he may not be risked, and Aymeric Laporte has not been included on the tour. That means Mbete could start in the heart of the defence alongside Nathan Ake, with Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo operating in the full-back berths.
The midfield department is where Guardiola may have the toughest job in selecting a starting trio. Phillips will be looking to challenge Rodri for the defensive-midfield berth, while youngster James McAtee will be challenging Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva for a more advanced role.
Given Bayern will offer a sterner test than Club America are likely to, McAtee might get the nod from the start in this one, joining Rodri and De Bruyne in the engine room. Phillips will almost certainly play some part from the bench.
Despite allowing Raheem Sterling to leave the club and Phil Foden not being included on the tour, Guardiola remains spoilt for choice in attack, with the Catalan capable of playing several front-three variations. Riyad Mahrez, fresh from signing a new contract, is likely to start on the right, with Haaland playing through the middle.
However, Jack Grealish, Cole Palmer and Julian Alvarez will all be striving for a place on the left. Grealish might just get the nod on this occasion.
Predicted City line-up vs Club America: Ederson; Walker, Mbete, Ake, Cancelo; Rodri, De Bruyne, McAtee; Mahrez, Haaland, Grealish.
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