For the 3rd day of the Premier League, Manchester City travels to Bramall Lane to face Sheffield United (follow the live broadcast on FM). The Cityzens can already take the lead in the championship if they win by being the only team with 3 wins in as many games. With 2 successes so far, the Skyblues have seen all their competitors drop points since the start of the 23/24 financial year. To earn these points, they will have to do without their playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, who will be out for several months with a hamstring injury. Another absence to note, that of Pep Guardiola on the bench who will miss all the matches until the international break after having had back surgery, he will be replaced by Juanma Lillo, his faithful assistant who has returned to the Cityzens staff since the end of the season. ‘summer.
A more difficult start to the season for Sheffield which lost in the first 2 league games against Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest. The season promises to be complicated for the promoted who had already known the elite in 21/22. Paul Heckingbottom”s men have never scored a goal against the reigning European champions in 5 games between the two teams. Tactically, the Cityzens will play in a modular 4-2-3-1 with a defense made up of Walker, Dias, Akanji and Gvardiol. Kovačić and Rodri in the middle behind Bernardo, who is back, Álvarez, Grealish and Haaland. On the Sheffield side, it will be a 3-5-2 with Egan surrounded by Ahmedhodzic and Robinson. Baldock and Osborn in pistons then a medium with De Souza Costa, Hamer and Norwood. The attacking duo will be Traoré associated with Osula.
Team compositions:
Sheffield United: Foderingham – Ahmedhodzic, Egan (cap.), Robinson – Osborn, Norwood, De Souza Costa, Hamer, Baldock – Traore, Osula.
Manchester City: Ederson – Walker (cap.), Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol – Rodri, Kovačić – Bernardo, Álvarez, Grealish – Haaland.
