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Oscar Haley

Predicted Manchester City starting XI to face Leeds United in Whites Premier League restart

Leeds United may be uncertain of who Manchester City will field when the two sides face off at Elland Road on Wednesday night.

Ahead of what will be Leeds' first game back in Premier League action, City boss Pep Guardiola has been handed a selection headache by the World Cup break.

While City have plenty of quality in their squad, the November break makes it difficult to predict just which players Leeds will face off against on Wednesday.

READ MORE: Robbie Savage tips Leeds United for relegation as pundit predicts a 'rough ride' for the Whites

In midweek, City started Manuel Akanji, Aymeric Laporte, Nathan Ake, Kevin de Bruyne, Rodri and Ilkay Gundogan in their Carabao Cup win over Liverpool, with all six having played out in Qatar.

They brought on John Stones, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva, who were also at the World Cup, with Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo the lone Qatar players on in the City matchday squad not to feature.

The decision to not play Walker and Cancelo could mean City opt to ease them back into regular action off the bench.

Walker was not fit prior to the World Cup, meaning Guardiola could opt to give 18-year-old Rico Lewis a start at right-back after the teenager impressed in midweek against Liverpool.

Akanji and Laporte could both continue at centre-back in front of German keeper Stefan Ortega, who deputised ahead of Ederson who missed the Liverpool clash.

And at left-back, Nathan Ake could start ahead of Cancelo and Sergio Gomez after he scored in midweek.

In midfield, expect a midfield three of Rodri, Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan.

Bernardo Silva could be brought into the City starting XI instead of Gundogan after the German played 88 minutes against Liverpool.

It is unlikely there will be an Elland Road reunion for former Whites midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who Guardiola recently revealed returned from the World Cup "overweight."

And then upfront, Erling Haaland will start in attack, flanked most likely either side by Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden. Guardiola may opt for Grealish instead of Foden but it seems a certainty Mahrez and Haaland will start given neither played at the World Cup.

Predicted Manchester City starting XI to face Leeds United (4-3-3): Ortega; Lewis, Akanji, Laporte, Ake; De Bruyne, Rodri, Gundogan; Mahrez, Haaland, Foden.

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