Pep Guardiola is basically a mad scientist in a turtleneck. If you've watched the line up of man city lately, you know exactly what I mean. One week he’s playing with no strikers, and the next he’s got four center-backs playing like attacking wingers. But right now? Honestly, the situation at the Etihad is getting a little weird even by Pep's standards.
Heading into the Manchester derby this weekend, the roster looks like it’s been through a blender. We are talking about a squad that's missing almost its entire first-choice defense. No Rúben Dias. No Joško Gvardiol. No John Stones. It’s the kind of injury list that would make most managers quit and move to a farm in Tuscany, but this is Manchester City.
The big story isn't just who is out, though. It’s who just walked through the door. Antoine Semenyo, the £62.5 million man from Bournemouth, is basically being thrown into the deep end of the Premier League pool. After scoring on his debut against Exeter in that 10-1 FA Cup demolition, he’s now the name everyone is looking for in the starting XI.
The Defensive Jigsaw Puzzle
City’s backline is sort of a mess. You’ve got Manuel Akanji holding things together with duct tape and sheer willpower. With Dias and Gvardiol sidelined, Pep is leaning heavily on Nathan Aké and probably someone like Abdukodir Khusanov or even the young Max Alleyne.
It's risky. Really risky.
People always say City has "two starting XIs," but when you lose three of the best center-backs in the world at the same time, that theory gets tested. Marc Guéhi is reportedly on the verge of signing from Crystal Palace, but unless they can register him in the next five minutes, he’s not helping them against Manchester United.
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- Rayan Aït-Nouri is back from the Africa Cup of Nations, which is a massive relief.
- Rico Lewis is still doing that thing where he’s a right-back, a midfielder, and a ghost all at the same time.
- James Trafford or Gianluigi Donnarumma? That's the keeper debate. Donnarumma joined from PSG for £26 million last summer, but Trafford has that "academy boy made good" energy.
Midfield: The Rodri Dependency
If Rodri doesn't play, City look... human.
The Spaniard has been nursing a lay-off, but he’s expected to start this weekend. Without him, the line up of man city loses its heartbeat. We saw Nico O’Reilly step in recently, and while the kid is talented, he isn't Rodri. Nobody is.
The creative spark is also shifting. Kevin De Bruyne is gone (still feels weird saying that), now plying his trade at Napoli. In his place, Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders are the new architects. Cherki has been a revelation, racking up seven assists already this season. He moves like a younger Bernardo Silva but with a bit more "I’m going to try something ridiculous" in his game.
Speaking of Bernardo, he’s the captain now. It suits him. He still runs about 15 kilometers a game and looks like he hasn't slept since 2019.
Predicted Starting 11 for the Derby
If I had to put money on what Pep rolls out at Old Trafford, it looks something like this:
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Donnarumma in goal. A back four of Rico Lewis, Akanji, Aké, and Aït-Nouri. In the middle, you’ve got the tripod of Rodri, Reijnders, and Bernardo Silva. Then the front three: Phil Foden on one side, the new guy Semenyo on the other, and Erling Haaland through the middle.
The Haaland Factor
Haaland is still a glitch in the Matrix.
He just hit 100 Premier League goals in 111 games. That is genuinely stupid. He’s already on 20 league goals for the 2025-26 season, and we aren't even out of January. But the way he fits into the line up of man city has changed. He’s dropping deeper, trying to link play more. Sometimes it works, sometimes it just makes you wish he’d stay in the box and wait for the cross.
The interesting part is how he’ll pair with Semenyo. Semenyo is powerful, fast, and remarkably religious—he recently shared videos of his baptism on a Bournemouth beach. He brings a directness that Jack Grealish (currently on loan at Everton) didn't always provide.
Tactical Shifts: The 2-4-4
Lately, Pep has been experimenting with a shape that looks suspiciously like a 2-4-4 when they have the ball. It’s basically "vibes and attack."
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They push the fullbacks so high that they are essentially wingers, leaving two center-backs to deal with the entire counter-attack. It’s why they’ve conceded 19 goals already. It's not the defensive steel of the 2023 Treble-winning season. It’s more chaotic. More vulnerable. But arguably more fun to watch if you aren't a City fan.
Key Absences to Watch
It’s not just the defenders.
- Oscar Bobb: Still out. A huge shame because he was looking like the next big thing.
- Savinho: Also sidelined long-term.
- Mateo Kovačić: Still missing from the engine room.
- Omar Marmoush: He’s still at AFCON with Egypt. City have missed his clinical finishing from the bench.
Moving Forward: Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're following the line up of man city for fantasy football or just general interest, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the Marc Guéhi news. If that deal closes this week, he becomes an instant starter given the injury crisis.
- Don't bet against Haaland. Even when City look poor, he usually finds a way to poke a ball into the net from three inches out.
- Rayan Cherki is the real deal. He is becoming the primary creative hub. If you're looking for assist potential, he’s the one.
- Monitor Nico González. There’s a late fitness test for him on Friday. If he’s out, it might mean more minutes for Matheus Nunes or even moving Phil Foden into a more central role.
The Manchester City squad is in a period of transition. The "old guard" of De Bruyne and Gundogan (who is back, but older) is fading, and the era of Cherki, Reijnders, and Semenyo is beginning. It’s messy, it’s expensive, and it’s fascinating to watch.