Manchester City visits Porto at the Estádio do Dragão this Tuesday, Sept. 8, on Matchday 1 of the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League league phase. What stands out is that head coach Enzo Maresca has left Elliot Anderson out of the starting lineup.
Anderson, 23, is fit and available to play and is even included in the squad, but the Italian manager still preferred to leave him out of the starting XI.
The reason appears to simply be a tactical decision, as we just mentioned, the English midfielder is fit to play. In fact, in Manchester City’s most recent Premier League match, a 1-0 victory over Coventry City on Sept. 5, Anderson started and played the full 90 minutes.
He also started alongside Enzo Fernández in midfield for City’s Champions League opener against Porto.
Elliot Anderson Benched for Man City’s Champions League Opener
The English midfielder joined Manchester City this summer from Nottingham Forest for no less than €135 million, becoming one of the most expensive transfers in Premier League history and in Manchester City history.
Despite his record-breaking signing, Manchester City surpassed that figure this summer when they signed 25-year-old Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernández from Chelsea for €145 million. It is precisely Fernández who appears in the starting lineup against Porto.
The Argentine is joined by Ayoub Bouaddi, who is also a recent signing for the club after arriving from Ligue 1 side Lille for €95 million, and Phil Foden, who will most likely rotate, along with Ryan Cherki, between an attacking midfield and wing role.
Here is Manchester City’s official starting lineup to face Porto: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guéhi, Gvardiol; Bouaddi, Fernández, Foden; Cherki, Semenyo, Haaland.
Returning to Anderson, he has featured in all three of the Citizens’ Premier League matches this season, playing 63 minutes in the 2-1 victory over Bournemouth on Aug. 23 and 82 minutes in the 4-1 win over Crystal Palace on Aug. 28.
Do you agree with Maresca’s decision to leave Anderson on the bench for the game vs. Porto? Let us know in the comments.
How & Where to Follow Porto vs. Manchester City Live on TV, Streaming
In the UK, you can watch the Porto-Manchester City game live on Amazon Prime Video; in the United States, it will be available on Paramount+, TUDN USA, and ViX. In Canada, you can follow the broadcast on DAZN and fuboTV.
| Country | TV Channel/Live Streaming |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Amazon Prime Video |
| United States | Paramount+, TUDN USA, ViX |
| Canada | DAZN, fuboTV |
Why Is Elliot Anderson Not Playing Today for Porto vs. Manchester City?