Khusanov and Manchester City to face Everton today

Today, April 19, matches of the 33rd round of the English Premier League will be played. Among them, one of the most anticipated by Uzbek football fans is the clash between Manchester City and Everton.

Will Khusanov return to the starting lineup?

Uzbek defender Abdukodir Khusanov has not appeared in Manchester City’s last three matches. This has sparked discontent not only among Uzbek football followers but also among the club’s broader fanbase. Manager Pep Guardiola has opted to test Nico O’Reilly in those matches. As noted in earlier previews, when O’Reilly starts on the left wing, Guardiola is forced to shift his tactical setup. Specifically, if Nico plays on the left flank, Josko Gvardiol moves to the center of defense—consequently leaving Khusanov on the bench.

However, this situation is unlikely to last long, as the Croatian defender has now fully adapted to the left side. There is a strong possibility that Khusanov will feature in today's match against Everton—provided Gvardiol is returned to the left flank.

Can Manchester City stay in the Champions League race?

UEFA recently confirmed that five English clubs will qualify for next season’s Champions League. This number could potentially increase if either Manchester United or Tottenham win the Europa League. Meanwhile, the race for a top-five finish in the Premier League remains fierce. As of Matchday 33, Manchester City sits in fifth place with 55 points. Just ahead is Nottingham Forest with 57 points. Close behind, Chelsea and Aston Villa trail with 54 points each. In this round, Nottingham will face Tottenham away, Chelsea will visit Fulham, and Aston Villa will host top-three side Newcastle. This round could bring significant shifts in the standings, and the battle for the top five is expected to continue until the final week of the season.

Estimated lineups

As usual, football outlets "One Football," "Sportsmole," and "90min" have released their predicted lineups for the Everton vs. Manchester City match.

According to "One Football", Manchester City’s starting XI is expected to be:

Ortega, O’Reilly, Gvardiol, Dias, Lewis, Kovacic, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Savinho, Grealish, Marmoush.

"Sportsmole" predicts the lineup as:

Ortega, O’Reilly, Gvardiol, Dias, Nunes, Nico, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Savinho, Bernardo, Marmoush.

"90min" suggests:

Ortega, O’Reilly, Gvardiol, Dias, Lewis, Kovacic, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Savinho, McAtee, Marmoush.

For reference, the match between Everton and Manchester City will kick off today, April 19, at 19:00 Tashkent time.