Manchester City face Napoli in the Champions League on Thursday night ahead of a Premier League showdown with Arsenal on Sunday
Phil Foden and Rico Lewis of Manchester City train during a training session ahead of the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 against Napoli
Manchester City train ahead of the Champions League tie with Napoli
Manchester City kick off their Champions League campaign on Thursday night when Italian champions Napoli visit the Etihad.
Much of the build-up will be dominated by the return of Kevin De Bruyne to Manchester just a matter of months after the Belgian departed City when he was not offered a new contract. The midfielder is set to start for the visitors, who have opened their domestic campaign with three straight wins.
City head into the contest on the back of a much-needed victory over Manchester United in the derby last time out. The 3-0 victory came with a plethora of positives for Pep Guardiola with Erling Haaland scoring twice, Phil Foden looking in the groove and debutant Gianluigi Donnarumma impressing in goal.
The Italian spoke to the media on Wednesday for the first time as a City player and the 26-year-old will keep his place between the posts for the visit of Napoli.
The make-up of the back four remains difficult to predict but John Stones is fit to feature having trained on Wednesday. It would seem risky to throw the England international straight in to the XI and the Premier League showdown with Arsenal on Sunday means consideration must be taken to the team against the Gunners.
Rayan Ait-Nouri is out injured and Nico O'Reilly may well continue on the left with Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias forming a solid central pairing. With O'Reilly offering the attacking thrust from full back, it might be that Mathues Nunes gets the nod on the right over Abdukodir Khusanov - who Guardiola said after the win over United cannot play every game as he continues to adapt to English football - and Rico Lewis.
In midfield, Rodri is beginning to get back in the groove and played 76 minutes against United. He will be needed against Arsenal so perhaps this is an opportunity for Nico Gonzalez to get a start. Tijjani Reijnders hasn't missed a minute of football so far this season and can go again.
Phil Foden looked back to his best centrally in the derby and should line up there with Bernardo Silva perhaps the best option on the right for stability rather than the attacking thrust of Savinho or Oscar Bobb.
Erling Haaland will lead the line and Jeremy Doku deserves to keep his place on the left after a fine showing against United.
Predicted City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly; Nico, Reijnders, Bernardo, Foden, Doku, Haaland