Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Al Ain: Erling Haaland to Return, Debut for Summer Signing

Manchester City are aiming to secure passage to the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup knockout rounds when they face Al Ain in Atlanta.

The Cityzens were 2–0 winners against Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca in their opener courtesy of a Phil Foden masterclass and know they will reach the last 16 should they beat Al Ain and Juventus take points off Wydad AC in Group G’s other fixture.

Given Al Ain were beaten 5–0 by Juventus last time out, Man City should have few issues dispatching of the 2024 AFC Champions League winners, with Pep Guardiola likely making alterations from the team that secured victory on Matchday 1.

Here’s how Man City could line up at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Watch the FIFA Club World Cup live and on-demand here

Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Al Ain (4-1-4-1)

Erling Haaland was only used as a substitute last time out. | Lee Smith-Reuters via Imagn Images

GK: Ederson—Ederson was only worked sporadically against Wydad but kept Man City’s clean sheet intact following a couple of scares. He will expect another quiet outing against Al Ain.

RB: Matheus Nunes—Rico Lewis was sent off late in Man City’s opening round victory and is now suspended for the upcoming clash with Al Ain, meaning orthodox midfielder Nunes will fill the void having often appeared at right-back last season.

CB: Abdukodir Khusanov—Vitor Reis was the young centre-back handed a starting opportunity last time out but Khusanov may get the nod in Atlanta. He will be aiming to perform better than his Brazilian teammate, who endured a difficult time against Wydad.

CB: Rúben Dias—Man City know exactly what they will get from Dias, who was fortunate enough to be rested on Matchday 1. Guardiola suddenly has a plethora of central defensive options now injuries have cleared up.

LB: Rayan Aït-Nouri—Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki both debuted against Wydad but Aït-Nouri didn’t feature for the Cityzens. The summer recruit should earn his first minutes in sky blue.

DM: Nico González—Reijnders was the sole defensive midfield presence against Wydad and performed well on his first appearance. With Man City eager to ease Rodri back into the action, Nico could start against Al Ain.

RM: Bernardo Silva—Recently named Man City club captain, Silva will be aiming to celebrate the armband with a strong performance against Al Ain. He might feature from the right-hand side but can easily drift into central areas.

CM: İlkay Gündoğan—The German was one of Man City’s more consistent performers last season, even if his standards have dropped since returning to the club following a spell at Barcelona.

CM: Phil Foden—Having endured a nightmare 2024–25, Foden showcased his undeniable talent in Man City’s opener as he scored and assisted. Guardiola will want to offer him another opportunity to build some much-needed momentum.

LM: Savinho—Man City’s wide options still leave a little to be desired but Jérémy Doku scored against Wydad and Savinho will be aiming to follow suit against Al Ain.

ST: Erling Haaland—Omar Marmoush led the line for the first hour of last Wednesday’s victory but Haaland should make his comeback against Al Ain. He will be eager to open his Club World Cup account as he chases the Golden Boot.

We may earn a commission if you buy something via a link in this article