Man City predicted XI to face Nottingham Forest with Pep Guardiola tipped to rotate his team

Pep Guardiola could be tempted to rotate his squad when Manchester City host Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night.

It may be the opening month of the new Premier League season, but this is already the Blues’ sixth competitive game of the campaign.

Before the international break in September, City have a busy few weeks, and there are trips to the Midlands to face Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers, sandwiched either side of the home game against Tottenham Hotspur.

Guardiola’s side also face Champions League meetings with Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund, meaning it’s a blockbuster period for City, with six fixtures in just 18 days.

Forest probably offer the kindest match for the Premier League champions in that timeframe, meaning Guardiola may look to rotate.

Six players - Ederson, Kyle Walker, Joao Cancelo, Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland - have started all five competitive games this season, and Guardiola is likely to give at least some of those a slight rest on Wednesday.

Ederson will definitely start, barring any last-minute injury, while a lack of options at centre-back means Ruben Dias and John Stones should also be in the line-up.

Sergio Gomez made his City debut in the weekend win over Crystal Palace, and could be handed a first start against Forest, which would allow Walker or Cancelo a brief rest.

Rodri or De Bruyne may start on the bench, meaning Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan will be two of the midfield three. Kalvin Phillips is still a major doubt with an arm injury that forced him to sit out the weekend win over Palace.

In attack, Julian Alvarez could be handed a first start, while Cole Palmer is another option in the wide areas. Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden started at the weekend but have been afforded time off in the opening fixtures.

Jack Grealish is also a doubt and has missed the last two league games through injury. Even if fit, it’s doubtful he’d be in line to start against Forest.

As for Haaland, Guardiola did hint he could be rested soon when speaking in a recent press conference.

“I’ll tell you now that when we have games every three days Erling is not going to play [every game]. Julian is going to play,” he said.

Regardless, expect Guardiola to rest a few of the aforementioned six players who have started all the matches this season, but choosing who will be a selection dilemma given the multitude of injuries currently impacting the City squad.

Manchester City predicted: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Stones, Gomez; Rodri, Gundogan, Silva; Mahrez, Haaland, Alvarez.