Manchester City will still be without midfield duo Rodri and Mateo Kovacic for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium.
While Kovacic is facing a lengthy spell in the treatment room with an ankle/heel injury, Rodri still needs more time to build up his fitness and recover from a hamstring problem sustained in October.
Nico Gonzalez has subsequently started in each of Man City’s last eight matches in all competitions, but he was taken off early in their chaotic 5-4 victory at Fulham on Tuesday night and is expected to retain his place at the base of Pep Guardiola’s midfield this weekend.
With one eye on facing Real Madrid in the Champions League next Wednesday, Guardiola may ponder a couple of changes, with Abdukodir Khusanov, Rico Lewis and Rayan Ait-Nouri all pushing for a recall at full-back at the expense of either Matheus Nunes or Nico O’Reilly.
Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol have established themselves as Guardiola’s first-choice centre-back pairing, but the possibility of either John Stones, Nathan Ake or Khusanov starting at the heart of defence, in front of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, cannot be entirely ruled out this weekend.
Bernardo Silva tends to start in Man City’s so-called big matches, and while Sunderland are certainly no pushovers, Guardiola may consider replacing his captain on Saturday with either Savinho or Rayan Cherki to operate on the right flank, while Tijjani Reijnders could keep his spot in a central midfield position.
Phil Foden has scored four goals across his last two Premier League games and he will likely continue in an advanced central role, with Jeremy Doku set to play on the left and Erling Haaland - fresh from scoring his 100th PL goal - to lead the line.
Manchester City possible starting lineup: Donnarumma; Khusanov, Stones, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Gonzalez, Reijnders; Cherki, Foden, Doku; Haaland
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