There are still three matches scheduled to be played in the Premier League today despite more Covid cancellations on Saturday, with two of those kicking-off at 14:00 GMT – Newcastle United v Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea.
Man City boss Pep Guardiola makes three changes from Gameweek 17, with Joao Cancelo, Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus coming in for John Stones, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden, all of whom drop to the bench.
That means Ilkay Gundogan is a substitute once again, with Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva – who features despite being substituted in the 7-0 win against Leeds United with a muscular problem – selected in the attacking midfield roles.
At Newcastle, Eddie Howe makes five changes from the midweek loss at Anfield, as Ciaran Clark, Matt Ritchie, Joe Willock, Miguel Almiron and Callum Wilson replace Fabian Schar, Jamal Lewis, Javier Manquillo, Jonjo Shelvey and Allan Saint-Maximin, who was withdrawn at Liverpool.
Meanwhile, Thomas Tuchel makes two changes from their 1-1 draw against Everton, with N’Golo Kante and Trevoh Chalobah in for Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Jorginho.
As a result of their Covid outbreak, Chelsea can only name a six-man bench, which includes two goalkeepers, with their request to postpone today’s match turned down by the Premier League.
“It is exactly like this, we thought we had a strong case regarding the security and health of players, we have seven positive cases, we were made to be in the bus and travel together for three hours, were in meeting together, in dinner and lunch and the situation does not feel like it will stop.
We applied to not play and put the situation under control and it was rejected. It is very hard to understand it, we are concerned about the health of the players. We end up with players who play coming from injuries and we take the risk.
I am worried from a medical point of view, we have had four days of consecutive positive tests. How will it stop if we are in a bus together and in meetings together? We are disappointed, we are a bit angry.” – Thomas Tuchel
As for Wolves, Raul Jimenez returns from suspension to lead the line, with Hwang Hee-Chan dropping out, while Ki-Jana Hoever and Leander Dendoncker also replace Nelson Semedo and Francisco Trincao, who are both on the bench.
GAMEWEEK 18 LINE-UPS
Newcastle United XI: Dubravka, Murphy, Lascelles, Clark, Ritchie, Hayden, Willock, Joelinton, Almiron, Fraser, Wilson
Subs: Darlow, Schar, Saint-Maximin, Hendrick, Krafth, Anderson, Longstaff, White, Gayle
Manchester City XI: Ederson, Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodri, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Mahrez, Sterling, Jesus
Subs: Steffen, Ake, Stones, Wilson-Esbrand, Gundogan, Fernandinho, Palmer, Grealish, Foden
Wolverhampton Wanderers XI: Sa, Kilman, Coady, Saiss, Hoever, Neves, Moutinho, Marcal, Dendoncker, Podence, Jimenez
Subs: Moulden, Ruddy, Jordao, Trincao, Semedo, Traore, Cundle, Bueno
Chelsea XI: Mendy, Azpilicueta, Thiago, Rudiger, James, Kante, Chalobah, Alonso, Ziyech, Mount, Pulisic
Subs: Kepa, Bettinelli, Kovacic, Saul, Barkley, Sarr
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