Manchester City is on the verge of achieving maximum points in Group G of the Club World Cup as they prepare to battle Al Ain in Atlanta this Sunday evening. Pep Guardiola’s team didn’t particularly shine in their opening match, which saw first-half strikes from Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku, leading to a victory over Wydad AC despite having to finish the match with 10 players due to a red card issued to Rico Lewis.
Given that key players like Erling Haaland, Josko Gvardiol, and newly appointed captain Bernardo Silva didn’t start in Philadelphia, Manchester City is set for a relatively favorable contest against Al Ain.
Al Ain is expected to struggle against City following a previous 5-0 defeat against Juventus, where four goals came in the first half, indicating the challenge that awaits them against a European powerhouse like City.
Viewing Information
- Date: Sunday, June 22
- Time: 9 p.m. ET
- Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
- Live Stream: Watch on DAZN (for free)
- Odds: Manchester City -1200; Draw +1000; Al-Ain +3500
Last Meeting
This will be their first competitive encounter.
Predicted Lineups
- Manchester City: Ederson; Matheus Nunes, Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, Rayan Ait-Nouri; Tijani Reijnders; Rayan Cherki, Phil Foden, Ilkay Gundogan, Jeremy Doku; Erling Haaland
- Al-Ain: Rui Patricio; Abdul Karim Traore, Marcel Ratnik, Rami Rabia, Amadou Niang, Facundo Zabala; Kaku, Yong-Woo Park, Matias Palacios; Kodjo Laba, Nassim Chadli
Player to Watch
Phil Foden, Manchester City: This could be a significant match for Foden, who is coming off a goal against Wydad Casablanca. “[Getting the win] is really important for our confidence,” he stated recently. “Last season wasn’t the best for me, so I’m happy today that I managed to score, get an assist, and help the team win.”
Storyline to Watch
How much will Guardiola rotate?: City has traveled to the US with questions lingering, as Thomas Tuchel suggested that clubs not participating in the Club World Cup, such as Liverpool and Arsenal, would have an edge in the title race due to the potential fatigue that City and Chelsea may experience. Guardiola will likely aim to rotate players strategically, especially considering the favorable matches ahead.
Prediction
Regardless of the team City fields, the focus will be on how many goals they can produce, with an expectation of a solid performance. PICK: Man City 4, Al-Ain 0
