Five things to look out for – Manchester City vs Leeds United

Manchester City will be aiming to get back to winning ways as they welcome Leeds United to the Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola’s side have lost two consecutive games, after the City manager’s bizarre decision to make 10 changes to the lineup backfired as City were well beaten by Bayer Leverkusen following a loss to Newcastle United last week.

Here are five things to look out for as City host Leeds:

Who on earth will play on the right?

Right now, I’m not sure there’s anyone I’m too happy to see lineup on the right of City’s attack.

Savinho had his worst game for the club against Leverkusen, and it would really be something if he starts against Leeds.

I believe in Oscar Bobb but he’s had a poor season. Guardiola has said, both implied and specifically, that the 22-year-old is lacking self confidence at the moment, and he’s not being aggressive enough offensively.

Rayan Cherki isn’t really a winger, and wasn’t great against Newcastle or Leverkusen. But he has played fairly well on the whole since returning from injury, and will probably get the nod.

Improving the wide areas seems to be a priority for City in this next window, with Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo a target. I suspect if Semenyo does arrive in January, we’ll see Bobb leave on loan or Savinho move permanently.

But for now they have to make do with what they have, and that will mean playing an out of form player or putting a square peg in a round hole.

Dias continuing his good form 

City sorely missed Ruben Dias’s leadership and defensive quality in midweek.

The City vice captain has been much better in the last two months than he was for most of the second half of last season and the beginning of this year, and scored his first City goal in nearly four years in last week’s defeat to Newcastle.

Leeds have struggled going forwards this season, and I expect a Dias led City defence to be able to keep the door shut throughout.

Haaland getting his 100th goal in the Premier League 

It’s been a while now that Erling Haaland has sat on 99 Premier League goals.

The international break and a goalless weekend last week means the Norwegian striker hasn’t yet become the quickest player to reach a century.

Haaland has two goals in two games against Leeds for City and I think today will be the day we see him reach his latest milestone.

Nmecha back at City

Lukas Nmecha, one of the alumni of the City Football Academy, is set to make his return to the Etihad Stadium for the first time since leaving the club in 2021.

The 26-year-old made three first team appearances for City, with loan spells at Preston North End, Wolfsburg, Middlesbrough and Anderlecht before joining Wolfsburg permanently in an €8 million deal.

The German has had a pretty good start at Leeds, scoring in two successive games for Daniel Farke’s side in the Premier League.

He’ll be his team’s main attacking threat and perhaps the best chance they have of getting something out of the game .

An uneasy atmosphere if things don’t go to plan

There was a scattering of boos around the stadium after the Leverkusen game on Tuesday, and Guardiola said he didn’t blame the fans after the performance of the team.

Pep got it all wrong; I don’t like admitting when it’s the case because he’s the best manager of all time, but it was inexplicable as to why he made so many changes to the team.

If City aren’t able to beat Leeds at home, which should be one of the easiest home games of the season on paper, then I expect the supporters in the stadium to really show their frustration towards the team.