How Will Manchester City Line Up If Guardiola Uses A 3-Back Formation?

How Would Manchester City Line Up With A Three Man Defence

Manchester City are making huge strides this summer as Pep Guardiola wants to make sure that he does not entertain another season without winning a trophy. He has added the likes of Ederson and Bernardo Silva to his ranks already and is also looking for some quality players who can walk into the first team.

There are a few other issues to solve at the club, especially at the back, as the Spanish mastermind will look to plug all the holes in the squad before the end of the season. The former Barcelona manager has, at times, shifted to a 3-4-3 formation that could solve some problems that they have in their defence. However, it is debatable if they have enough quality in their ranks to pull it off as well as Chelsea did last season.

But how do City lineup if they shift to the 3-man defence line? How can it impact their game?

Claudio Bravo and Ederson are both relatively young in their careers in England and could yet again take turns in the goal next season for Manchester City. At centre-back, Vincent Kompany, who did a superb job late last season after coming back from an injury, is an automatic starter. The 31-year old is still at the top of his game and if he can keep himself fit, he should start regularly at the heart of the back-three, taking care of anything thrown in the air, into his box.

At centre-back, Vincent Kompany, who did a superb job late last season after coming back from an injury, is an automatic starter. The 31-year old is still at the top of his game and if he can keep himself fit, he should start regularly at the heart of the back-three, taking care of anything thrown in the air, into his box.

Nicolas Otamendi also showed decent consistency and there is hardly any reason for Guardiola not to trust him. The Argentine should play on the left side of the back three next season.

Former Everton star John Stones has been far from convincing and has to improve quickly to keep his place in the first team. But City do not have a genuine backup for their centre-backs and the manager will surely look to add another centre-back to the squad in the summer.

Stones might have to fight with the newbie for a place in the first team, which should make City slightly more secure at the back. Aleksandar Kolarov also acted as a centre-back last season and he could be the 5^th choice, and a decent one too.

Kyle Walker is close to a move to Manchester City, and he should be the first choice at right wing-back while Guardiola is looking at Ryan Bertrand extensively and he might be the player to start at left wing-back next season.

Ilkay Gundogan should act as the holding midfielder while Kevin de Bruyne, David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus fight for the four places in attack. This surely is a formidable lineup for City next season.

Here is how Manchester City could line up: