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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Kyle Newbould

Man City predicted line-up vs Burnley as Julian Alvarez starts and Erling Haaland rested

Manchester City have a chance to book their place in a fifth consecutive FA Cup semi-final on Saturday when they host Vincent Kompany's Burnley in the last eight.

Pep Guardiola's side will look to go into the international break on a high and host the Clarets off the back of Tuesday's incredible 7-0 Champions League win over RB Leipzig, Erling Haaland's five-goal haul sandwiched between strikes from Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne.

The quick turnaround from midweek football will almost certainly force Guardiola to make some changes, but the luxury of being able to ease through the final 30 minutes plus the fact this is the final game before an international break means wholesale rotation is unlikely.

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City face a Burnley side on a great run of form, Kompany's men sitting 13 points clear of second placed Sheffield United and playing some wonderful football in the process. The Belgian spent 11 glorious years at the Etihad and will be quietly confident of pulling off an upset on his first return as manager.

That being said, City remain strong favourites for the clash and Guardiola will surely rotate in a couple of positions. Stefan Ortega will likely retain his place between the posts, having started all three FA Cup games thus far and not conceded a goal.

Rico Lewis is another who has enjoyed plenty of minutes in the cup, and the 18-year-old is expected to come back in at right-back, with Nathan Ake continuing at left-back. Guardiola sent a warning last week by hinting it will be harder for fringe players to break back into the first-team picture, and the Spaniard is expected to go with those he trusts at centre-back, in John Stones and Ruben Dias.

Further forward, Rodri has played the most minutes at City this season with 3,186 and the Spaniard could be rested. Kalvin Phillips has struggled to make a huge impact since signing from Leeds United but enjoyed the full 90 minutes in the last round against Bristol City and could do so again on Saturday.

Alongside the England international, De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva will add the necessary experience to see through a potentially difficult FA Cup tie, having cruised through the final half-hour against Leipzig midweek.

Haaland was refused the chance to notch a record-breaking six goals against Leipzig, and the Norwegian will likely be rested again this weekend, with Julian Alvarez back in the starting line-up fresh from signing a one-year contract extension.

Either side of the Argentinian, Guardiola may opt for further rotation as Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez - both benched in midweek - return to the line-up while Jack Grealish drops out.

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