Manchester City head into the weekend’s motion hoping to make a return to profitable methods within the Premier League in opposition to a Bournemouth facet flying larger than ever earlier than.
Pep Guardiola’s facet come into the sport off the again of a 1-3 win in opposition to Championship facet Swansea City, in a recreation that was by no means fairly as snug because the scoreline could counsel to some.
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The hosts took the lead early on as Goncalo Franco lifted a surprising strike past James Trafford. The Blues pulled stage earlier than half-time due to a deflected effort from Jeremy Doku, earlier than second-half targets from Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki secured City’s path into the quarter-final stage of the Carabao Cup.
Signs of the identical points that precipitated many followers frustration within the 1-0 loss to Aston Villa have been nonetheless current regardless of the victory. In the first-half, the Blues regarded largely unthreatening going ahead, and at instances lackadaisical on the defensive finish. Reassuringly, the cup tie was very a lot a chance to rotate, as solely Oscar Bobb began in opposition to each Villa and Swansea.
City should now shift focus again to Premier League motion as they face Bournemouth – a group who sit second after making a stunning begin to the season below the administration of Andoni Iraola.
The final time the 2 sides confronted off, an Omar Marmoush marvel objective set the tone for a match that noticed City win 3-1. There has solely been one event within the match-up’s historical past that City haven’t walked away winners – a 2-1 defeat final marketing campaign – tainting an in any other case good document.
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Bournemouth come into this weekend in high quality type, unbeaten of their final eight league video games – a streak longer than some other group within the top-flight. Encouragingly although, they’ve solely gained two from their final 5, and Pep Guardiola will likely be hoping his group has what it takes to interrupt their run.
A win on this fixture is a should if Manchester City need any hope of staying in touching distance of Premier League title rivals Arsenal albeit so early on within the marketing campaign, and so the stress is properly and actually on.
Here’s how we predict Manchester City will line-up as they welcome high-flying AFC Bournemouth to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon!
Predicted XI
The man between the sticks will nearly actually be Gianluigi Donnarumma. A famous person that wants no introduction at this level, having revitalised the Manchester City defence since his arrival. James Trafford has been extremely praised by Pep Guardiola, however it can take a mighty effort to interchange the Italian.
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Matheus Nunes has quietly been one of many Blues’ most constant performers within the final two seasons and finds himself as soon as once more nominated for Manchester City’s inside Player of the Month award. His high quality type will seemingly see him rewarded with one other recreation at right-back.
Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol have been a pressure to be reckoned with in latest video games, and there may be nothing to counsel that this partnership will likely be separated in opposition to Bournemouth after each gamers obtained relaxation for the midweek fixture in Swansea.
The Portuguese of the 2 males has completed the whole lot in his energy to show his critics improper because the begin of the season, whereas the versatile Croatian has gone from power to power in a extra central function versus left-sided full-back.
Left-back spot is likely one of the most hotly-contested positions on the pitch with the beautiful type of Nico O’Reilly this season, however after getting his first begin since coming back from damage, Ryan Ait-Nouri might be the one to make the spot his this week.
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The Algerian worldwide will likely be determined to get some minutes below his belt after an extended spell on the sidelines, and he might want to do the whole lot he can to show his value after O’Reilly’s wonderful begin and a brand new long-term contract for the now-England worldwide.
In the absence of Rodri, Nico Gonzalez has been an important a part of the midfield as he proves precisely why Manchester City snapped him up for such an enormous price final January. The Spaniard seems to be extra at residence each week, and plenty of followers will argue there might have been a distinct end result at Villa Park had he began within the defeat.
Phil Foden and Tijjani Reijnders have injected some much-needed power into midfield this season and there may be nothing to counsel they are going to lose their spots this time round. Foden was a vibrant spark within the defeat final week, creating extra possibilities than anybody else on the pitch (7), and whereas Reijnders could have struggled in a deep-lying function final day trip, his power when larger up is close to sufficient irreplaceable.
Having scored and assisted in opposition to Swansea, Rayan Cherki seems to be to have completed sufficient to say a beginning spot on the right-wing this week, with Savinho and Oscar Bobb nonetheless discovering their toes this season and struggling for type.
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This one is much from sure although, with Pep Guardiola having reasoned that the Premier League video games may be too bodily for a pairing of Cherki and Foden. On advantage although, the French worldwide has actually earned again his spot as a starter.
When match, Erling Haaland is the primary identify on the group sheet, and Guardiola confirmed his run in with the goal-post in opposition to Aston Villa wouldn’t be sufficient to maintain him out of this one. He will likely be hoping to restart one other goalscoring streak once more having seen an 11-game run come to an finish in opposition to Villa, albeit solely resulting from a marginal offside run from Marmoush.
Speaking of which, Omar Marmoush additionally made a return to scoring type in his first begin because the damage he sustained on worldwide obligation when he confronted off in opposition to Swansea. The 26-year-old has scored each instances he has confronted Bournemouth, and so if anybody can crack their robust backline, it may be him.
Starting XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, Ait-Nouri; Nico, Reijnders, Foden; Cherki, Haaland, Marmoush.
Substitutes: Trafford, Lewis, Khusanov, Ake, O’Reilly, Rodri, Bernardo, Savinho, Doku.