Confirmed Line-Ups: Manchester City vs Chelsea (Pre-Season Friendly)

Manchester City conclude their 2024/25 pre-season tour of the United States with a meeting against familiar opposition in Chelsea on Saturday night.

Pep Guardiola’s side remain on the hunt for their first win of the warm-up period Stateside, recording two defeats in succession before a draw in regulation time against Barcelona, only to be defeated via a penalty shoot-out.

There have been plenty of positives throughout the contests thus far, and the opportunity to showcase Manchester City’s finest Academy talents has been rare for Pep Guardiola, who has glowed about some specific names during the club’s time in the United States.

Performances against top-level opposition could be the statement that some names required in order to break firmly into the eyesight of Guardiola, who has already earmarked the likes of Nico O’Reilly and James McAtee for first-team involvement this coming season.

Saturday’s meeting with Chelsea will be Pep Guardiola’s first opportunity to view the progression of former colleague Enzo Maresca, who is leading an overhaul and revamp of the Stamford Bridge side having joined the club from Leicester City earlier this summer.

A trip to Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge is Manchester City’s first contest of the upcoming Premier League season, taking on the West London club on the opening weekend but only after an FA Community Shield meeting with Manchester United at Wembley Stadium.

Ahead of kick-off at the Ohio Stadium in Columbus this evening, here are the confirmed line-ups and squad selections for Pep Guardiola and Enzo Maresca’s respective sides!

Manchester City

Starting XI: Ortega; Lewis, Phillips, Gvardiol, Wilson-Esbrand; Kovacic, O’Reilly, McAtee; Bobb, Haaland (C), Grealish.

Substitutes: Ederson, Carson, Perrone, Wright, Simpson-Pusey, Katongo, Ndala, Glavez, Susoho, Oboavwoduo, Mbete, Heskey, Doyle, Fatah, Mfuni, Hamilton, Samuel, Knight.

Chelsea

Starting XI: Sanchez; James (C), Adarabioyo, Colwill, Gusto; Lavia, Caicedo, Enzo, Dewsury-Hall; Nkunku, Mudryk.

Substitutes: Bettinelli, Jorgensen, Veiga, Acheampong, Chilwell, Fofana, Ugochukwu, Chukwuemeka, Madueke, George, Sterling, Angelo, Broja, Guiu.