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Pep Guardiola turns Man City fans' fears into fresh Champions League advantage vs RB Leipzig

Another cautious Champions League team sheet in another game. Four centre-backs in a makeshift back four, four central midfielders and only one winger.

Pep Guardiola had overthought another Manchester City starting XI, and the natives were restless before a ball had even been kicked.

The footage of City's agonising European exits to Tottenham, Lyon and Chelsea playing on the big screen at 7:55pm won't have helped those nerves and was an interesting choice to whip up the crowd. But by 8:24pm those nervous fans had nothing to worry about: Guardiola's plan had worked even better than he could have imagined.

ALSO READ: City player ratings vs RB Leipzig as Haaland ridiculous

City fans should know to trust Guardiola by now, but memories of those painful Champions League nights will always linger. With every year City don't win the European Cup, more questions will be asked of how a team of this quality and with this manager haven't lifted it. Guardiola accepted he would be judged on his European success at City on Monday, even if he didn't agree with the idea.

Some sections of the City support will argue Guardiola should shoulder some responsibility for that Champions League hoodoo, given his over-cautious selections in some of those games. It's a stance more borne of frustration and inbuilt pessimism, but maybe now the days of Guardiola truly overthinking his big-game line-ups are gone.

Yes, he started a more defensive starting XI against Leipzig, and sacrificed a winger for another midfielder. City needed goals after a 1-1 draw in the first leg and only had one regular goalscorer in the side. However, having all of Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva in the same midfield is anything but a risk.

Guardi

Read more on manchestereveningnews.co.uk