Manchester City are in Premier League action against Bournemouth on Tuesday night
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Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City reacts during the Emirates FA Cup final match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City
Kevin De Bruyne gestures during the FA Cup final between Manchester City and Crystal Palace
Manchester City have to put the disappointment of Saturday's FA Cup final defeat to Crystal Palace out of their mind and re-focus on their quest for Champions League football next season.
City were beaten 1-0 at Wembley by the Eagles and will end the campaign without a trophy for the first time since Pep Guardiola's debut campaign in charge in 2017. Eberechi Eze's first half strike proved the difference in the capital and, a little over 72 hours after the final whistle in the capital, City are back in action.
They welcome Bournemouth to the Etihad in a massive game in the Champions League race. City slipped to sixth in the Premier League table over the weekend and face a battle to secure a top five finish. Four points from their remaining two games will be enough, with a trip to Fulham to come on the final day, while City could feasibly earn a top five spot with as few as one point.
A win over the Cherries would go a long way towards sealing the target and would lift City into third heading into the final day of the top flight campaign on Sunday.
Guardiola sprang a surprise with his team selection for the final and there will be changes for the contest against Bournemouth.
Ederson is set to come back in goal having been on the bench at Wembley while Rico Lewis - surprisingly omitted from the squad entirely last weekend - may well return at right back.
Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol have formed a solid enough partnership in the middle of defence and Manuel Akanji may be given the night off having only just returned to full fitness. That could see Nico O'Reilly start again at left back.
In midfield, Mateo Kovacic was not risked in the final but surely comes back in if fit while Ilkay Gundogan may partner him having come off the bench against Palace. It is Kevin De Bruyne's final Etihad appearance and surely he starts while Jeremy Doku did enough last time out to retain his spot.
Erling Haaland may not be firing on all cylinders but City are a better side with him in it and Phil Foden may be afforded an opportunity with Savinho ineffectual at Wembley.
Guardiola has opted not to use Nico Gonzalez and Jack Grealish in recent weeks and it's hard to see them coming into the XI while Bernardo Silva may be rested with Fulham in mind.
Predicted City XI: Ederson, Lewis, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly; Kovacic, Gundogan, De Bruyne; Foden, Doku, Haaland
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