In the 28th round of the English Premier League, Manchester City will play away against Leeds, and this match is one of the next decisive trials for the Citizens. Pep Guardiola's team is currently five points behind Arsenal in the championship race, despite having played one game less. Therefore, there is virtually no chance of losing points in the match at "Elland Road."
Experts from a reputable website - cityxtra.co.uk - have announced their preliminary squad ahead of the upcoming match. According to the forecasts, Gianluigi Donnarumma can be trusted in the goal, Mateus Nunes, Mark Guehi, Abduqodir Husanov and Ryan Ait-Nuri in the defense, and Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Nico O'Reilly in midfield. Ryan Scherky, Erling Haaland, and Antoine Semeno are being mentioned in the attack. OneFootball and other suggested composition sources indicated a variant close to this scheme.
One of the most interesting points is that Abduqodir Husanov is being mentioned as a contender for the starting lineup again in central defense. Some sources have listed him in pairs with Mark Gexi. This means that the Uzbek defender's position at City is steadily strengthening. If he really starts, he'll have to respond with speed, positional intelligence, and resilience to Leeds' physically demanding and pressure-driven style.
At the same time, various sources do not provide the same lineup: some cite Husanov as the main player, while others assess Ruben Dias as close to the start. So far, we're not talking about the official lineup, but about the pre-match analysis. The most reliable thing is that the official starting lineup will be announced near the start of the game.
Before the game, Pep Guardiola said that his players returned to training after a short break, both physically and mentally refreshed. This indicates that the team can have high energy and preparedness against a fierce opponent like Leeds. Especially considering that at this stage of the Premier League, every match effectively becomes a final, it's natural for City to rely on fully prepared players in every lineup.
In short, Manchester City is facing a challenging match against Leeds today. However, judging by the preliminary lineups, Guardiola could choose a more courageous and balanced lineup that combines strength, speed, and pressure. For Uzbek fans, the biggest intrigue is the question of whether Abduqodir Husanov will be in the starting lineup. The match kicks off on February 28th at 10:30 PM Tashkent time.
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