Guardiola has chosen City’s Aguero replacement for Manchester Derby

Kelechi Iheanacho, the blue half of Manchester’s, Marcus Rashford, isn’t going to be starting the Manchester Derby! 

It was widely assumed that the Nigerian international was going to be the one to fill the ‘unfillable’ shoes vacated by Sergio Aguero’s ban – mainly because the Citizens don’t have another recognised striker in the squad given Wilfried Bony’s Deadline Day loan move to Stoke City.

Thank You to all the MCFC fans for the support & hello to @stokecity fans I look forward to a great season together pic.twitter.com/NgKcFNkANL

— Wilfried Bony (@wilfriedbony) August 31, 2016

It has been reported that Leroy Sane will be given the nod over his Citizens teammate for the blockbuster game at Old Trafford. The summer signing from Schalke has yet to make his competitive debut for Guardiola’s side, but Pep is rumoured to be ready to give the winger a baptism of fire.

City likely to play Sane ahead of Iheanacho against mufc, reveals @hirstclass https://t.co/ycpdFPyu4Q

— ALEX KAY-JELSKI (@AlexKJTimes) September 9, 2016

Guardiola is clearly already setting up for a draw at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ by deploying Sane over an out-and-out striker like Iheanacho. Perhaps something similar to when Spain played Cesc Fabregas as the furthest forward player, ultimately playing without an option in the final-third.

With Guardiola’s defensive approach, combined with Jose Mourinho no doubt being Jose Mourinho, the blockbuster we were all hoping for, already looks dead in the water before a ball has even been kicked – Marcus Rashford will probably start after his midweek hat-trick for the England Under 21s, but as a defensive-midfielder because the (not so) ‘Special One’ is as negative as they come.

Get those 0-0 bets in now, guys and dolls, before those line-ups are announced and the bookies make a goalless draw 1/50.