Pep Guardiola rarely keeps it simple when it comes to setting up his Manchester City side and one particular gamble ultimately paid off against Aston Villa.
One hour prior to kick-off at the Etihad Stadium when the team news was announced, the Spaniard decided to rotate his starting XI - perhaps with one eye on Wednesday night's huge Premier League meeting with Arsenal - with Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan among four changes.
But eyebrows were raised with regard to Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte being the only recognised defenders named in the line-up. And as Erling Haaland spearheaded the attack alongside Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez, some were left confused as to what formation City had deployed.
