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Manchester City travels to Wales on Saturday to take on Cardiff City at the Cardiff City Stadium. They will be smarting after the 1-2 defeat to Olympic Lyon in the Champions League at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday and would want to go back to winning again. Newly-promoted Cardiff, who are seventeenth in the Premier League right now, could be at the wrong end to face City's wrath.
Pep Guardiola must be hurting after the loss to the French Ligue 1 side and is sure to make some vital changes in City's line up. He is unlikely to go with either Gabriel Jesus or Bernardo Silva in the starting XI.
Sergio Aguero and Riyad Mahrez should come back and take those places. Aguero has been fantastic this season, netting three goals and providing two assists already. He can press high and is crucial to City's chances of creating chances and scoring goals. Aguero seems fitter than last year and is also seen to go back and help out in the defence.
Mahrez, whom Guardiola signed from Leicester this summer, can provide pace and width on the left-hand side of the pitch. The Algerian would be itching to have a good game and cement his spot in the City's starting line up.
Centre-half John Stones and acting left-back Fabian Delph were average against Lyon and their ineptness gave their opponents the time, space and speed to create opportunities out of nowhere. They ought to be replaced by Vincent Kompany and Benjamin Mendy (if fit) respectively.
Guardiola will want his side to go out on Saturday and play some high pressing and attacking football against Cardiff City. They have had a pretty average start to the season compared to what people expected from them. Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy have provided lob balls and given crosses from the wing-back positions but City's forward line has not been able to latch on to them well.
It is no secret that Manchester City's way of playing football under Pep Guardiola has become predictable. Opponents know that if they can tie down their wing backs and keep a check on Sergio Aguero's pressing runs, City will be forced to make a mistake sooner than later.
The midfield is virtually non-existent with Kevin de Bruyne out with injury and having no reserve playmaker in the ranks has only added to Guardiola's woes. When de Bruyne was in the mood, he could crumble opposition defences and played a huge part in City's winning the title last season.
The statistics back me. City is not unbeaten this season. They have won four matches, drawn one and lost one (against Lyon in the Champions League). Although the numbers are not horrifying, they are nowhere near to the results that Pep's 'Invincibles' had last season. This City team needs to find their mojo again and start afresh. They are better than what their performances show. Manchester City is the reigning champions of England and should play that way.
Cardiff City provides City with a brilliant opportunity to get back to their winning ways. Although it will be a tough fixture away from home playing in front of vociferous Cardiff supporters, Pep Guardiola and his boys will enjoy it. They would like to start their season afresh by winning in Wales and then go to Europe with renewed confidence.
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