Manchester City visit Burnley in the Premier League tonight with the Blues having the chance to go top of the table with a win
Nico Gonzalez of Manchester City in action during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD5 match between Manchester City and Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Nico Gonzalez could be handed a start for Manchester City at Burnley with Rodri missing through injury
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Manchester City's win over Arsenal on Sunday was a seismic result in the title race but will count for little if the Blues don't follow it up with a victory over Burnley at Turf Moor tonight.
The Clarets will be relegated if they lose after a difficult campaign under Scott Parker and for City the prize is to move top of the table for the first time since August. Pep Guardiola's side will have to do that without midfielder Rodri, who was forced off in the closing stages of the weekend win over the Gunners.
City also remain without Ruben Dias while Josko Gvardiol is a long-term absentee. But otherwise the Blues are in decent shape heading into the run-in.
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Changes are likely to be kept to a minimum tonight with Gianluigi Donnarumma to continue in goal. The back four will surely be unchanged with Nico O'Reilly again outstanding at left back against Arsenal. Matheus Nunes has made the right back spot his own while Marc Guehi and Abdukodir Khusanov have formed a strong partnership in the middle.
Bernardo Silva wasn't booked against Arsenal which means he avoided a suspension and the skipper can go again at Turf Moor. Rodri's injury absence means there will be one alteration and Nico Gonzalez looks poised to take the shirt. Tijjani Reijnders could come in but with Rayan Cherki in the No.10 role, the solidity offered by Gonzalez makes sense.
Jeremy Doku and Antoine Semenyo can continue on the flanks with Erling Haaland through the middle. There might be a temptation to make changes with the likes of Phil Foden, Omar Marmoush, Reijnders, Savinho, John Stones and Rayan Ait-Nouri all waiting in the wings but City must go full throttle in the Premier League now and if that means alterations for Southampton in the FA Cup on Saturday then so be it.
City predicted XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O'Reilly; Gonzalez, Bernardo, Cherki; Semenyo, Doku, Haaland
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