Manchester City are set to rotate heavily for Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Southampton at Wembley, with Pep Guardiola admitting he has “doubts” about his players’ fitness levels after a draining run of Premier League fixtures.
Guardiola’s side edged past Arsenal 2-1 last Sunday in a pivotal title clash, then followed it up with a 1-0 win at Burnley on Wednesday that lifted them to the top of the table on goals scored. The Catalan has now signalled that fatigue is a real concern, particularly given a tricky league trip to Everton awaits next week.
Team news and selection context
Only one change was made for the midweek victory at Turf Moor, where Rodri’s injury forced a rejig. Rayan Ait-Nouri came into the side at left-back, allowing Nico O’Reilly to shift into central midfield alongside Bernardo Silva. That reshuffle worked, but the physical toll of such a high-stakes period is now prompting Guardiola to consider a more sweeping overhaul against Championship opposition.
With Rodri a major doubt and unlikely to be risked, the midfield engine room looks set to be reshaped again. Mateo Kovacic has recovered from his ankle problem and could be handed some minutes, while Tijjani Reijnders is also in contention for a start. Nico O’Reilly, who has been carrying a heavy workload, may be given a rest after his midfield shift at Burnley.
Potential lineup changes and reasoning
The clearest indication of rotation comes in goal and at full-back. Cup goalkeeper James Trafford is expected to replace Gianluigi Donnarumma, while Matheus Nunes could be rested at right-back, with Rico Lewis a candidate for a rare start. At left-back, Ait-Nouri is likely to keep his place after starting against Burnley, though he was sacrificed in the second half for midfield solidity when Nico Gonzalez replaced him. That suggests Guardiola values the Algerian’s attacking outlet but may look to manage his minutes carefully.
In central defence, Abdukodir Khusanov and Marc Guehi have formed a reliable partnership in recent weeks, but John Stones and Nathan Ake are waiting in the wings. Guardiola could opt to refresh the backline by introducing one or both, particularly given the minutes already banked by the current pairing.
Further forward, the manager has a wealth of options. The in-form trio of Rayan Cherki, Jeremy Doku and Antoine Semenyo have been producing consistently, but Phil Foden is hoping for a rare start. Kovacic’s return adds another midfield option, and with the need to share the load, it is plausible that Guardiola will hand opportunities to several fringe players.
Erling Haaland could also be given a day off, with Omar Marmoush likely to lead the line. The predicted starting XI reflects this thinking: Trafford in goal, a defence of Lewis, Stones, Ake and Ait-Nouri, a midfield of Nico and Reijnders, and an attacking line of Foden, Savinho and Marmoush behind a lone striker.
Injury updates
Rodri remains the biggest concern, and Guardiola is not expected to take any risks with the midfielder for this fixture. Defenders Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol are also on the treatment table and will not be ready for the semi-final.
Doubt: Rodri. Injured: Dias, Gvardiol.
The match kicks off at 5.15pm BST on Saturday, April 25 at Wembley Stadium and will be broadcast live on BBC One.
