Man City predicted XI vs Wydad Casablanca – Foden ditched, Cherki set for debut
Pep Guardiola is set to make use of his new look Man City squad as the Etihad Stadium side face Wydad Casablanca in their Club World Cup opener on Wednesday.
Since the North West side beat Fulham 2-0 in their last Premier League game on 25 May, Guardiola has signed Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolves, France international Rayan Cherki, Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, and former Chelsea goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli.
Bettinelli will serve as a back-up goalkeeper, whereas the trio of outfield signings are all set for starring roles in the Club World Cup and beyond.
The likes of Cherki and Ait-Nouri will look to impress against their Moroccan opposition on 18 June, as they look to impress Guardiola early in their Manchester City careers.
Cherki and Ait-Nouri set for Man City debuts as Foden dropped
The arrival of Ait-Nouri hands the Etihad Stadium outfit the opportunity to field the former Wolves man as a left-back, allowing Josko Gvardiol to occupy a role in central defence.
Meanwhile, the capture of Cherki spells bad news for Phil Foden, who vastly underwhelmed as Man City failed to win silverware last term, as the ex-Lyon man can walk straight into Guardiola’s lineup.
Reijnders could also be set to enjoy his debut for the former Premier League winners, while the Club World Cup hands Rodri a vital opportunity to earn game time after recovering from his long-term injury.
Meanwhile, Omar Marmoush can start behind Erling Haaland, and could swap positions with Cherki throughout the match.
Football Insider verdict
Guardiola’s side should enjoy positive start to Club World Cup
Man City’s potential contenders for the Club World Cup, PSG, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich, all enjoyed winning starts to the tournament, with the Bundesliga giants battering the New Zealand side Auckland City 10-0 on Sunday, 15 June.
| Date | Opponent |
| 18/06 | Wydad Casablanca |
| 23/06 | Al Ain |
| 26/06 | Juventus |
Guardiola’s men should now be even more determined to begin their campaign in the USA with a strong performance against Wydad Casablanca, who present themselves as beatable opponents.
Amine Benhachem’s side finished third in the Moroccan top flight last season, but should prove to be no match for the Premier League quality of the North West giants.
But Man City should avoid being complacent against either Wydad Casablanca on 18 June, or the United Arab Emirates outfit Al Ain on Monday, 23 June, as Guardiola’s side face a much bigger challenge against Italian giants Juventus on 26 June.
Having witnessed free-scoring performances from both Bayern Munich and PSG, the Etihad Stadium club will look to be at their devastating best on Wednesday.