How Should Manchester City Line Up vs. West Bromwich Albion?
Eighteen teams will have placed 90 minutes of Premier League football under their belts before Manchester City and West Bromwich Albion square off at The Hawthorns on Monday.
Knowing what happened with other clubs is usually a disadvantage, as teams tend to play for results rather than playing the game at hand, but the season's first match offers both Manuel Pellegrini and Tony Pulis some leeway with expectations—thus playing last could be seen as an advantage this week.
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The transactions from season to season at smaller clubs makes envisioning how West Brom decide to line up somewhat convoluted.
Able to retain the services of Saido Berahino so far, the Baggies at least have a focal point in their attack. The rest of their squad depends on whether Pulis elects to play for the draw or shock England's once-removed champions with more attacking thrust.
At larger clubs, the faces are more established, hence Pellegrini's selections, for the most part, pick themselves; but there have been three key transactions this transfer window that warrant further investigation.
Raheem Sterling should receive his official Manchester City debut in the Midlands, but Fabian Delph will miss the Citizens' opening fortnight with an apparent hamstring injury, according to ESPN FC's Richard Jolly.
The two England internationals were brought in this summer, not only for the homegrown quota but also to excel—the sooner they gel with their new team-mates, the better.
Pellegrini's major exit was James Milner. An all-purpose footballer, now with Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers. Replacing his versatility and knowledge of the English game will be paramount to any success Man City can muster this season.
City have a slight selection dilemma this week, which makes Milner's utility an even more valuable commodity. Following the Copa America, Pellegrini's heavy South American contingent (Sergio Aguero, Pablo Zabaleta, Martin Demichelis and Fernandinho) have slight question marks surrounding them.
This, in conjunction with Delph's injury, could make for a youthful bench.
Kelechi Iheanacho, George Evans or Bruno Zuculini—who featured for the Citizens in pre-season—may find themselves concretely in the first-team picture for Monday's match.
Pellegrini told the press only Gael Clichy and the aforementioned Delph are unavailable for selection, according to Simon Baikowski of the Manchester Evening News. Who the Chilean manager elects to start will be announced before the match starts.
At the back, Joe Hart should start in goal. At full-back, Zabaleta and Aleksandar Kolarov seem the likely options, but if the Argentine cannot play, Bacary Sagna can easily be City's selection at right-back.
The centre-back partnership depends on Demichelis' fitness, but Vincent Kompany and Eliaquim Mangala might be Pellegrini's choice to give his 34-year-old defender more rest.
In midfield, Fernando or Fernandinho are the holding-midfield options. Were Man City to use the 4-3-3, only one can play—Fernandinho being the best of the two. Yaya Toure and David Silva would have less defensive contributions, and link with Jesus Navas and Sterling on the wings.
At centre-forward, Aguero is the first name on Pellegrini's team sheet when healthy so—provided he is fully recovered from his Argentina duties—will lead the line, with Wilfried Bony and/or Iheanacho serving as his deputy.
No matter who Manchester City send out they will be favoured to take three points; playing a massive early-season match with Chelsea next week, securing a victory vs. West Bromwich Albion would fill their squad with much-needed confidence.
*Stats via WhoScored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase where not noted.
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