Man City lineup vs Everton predicted as Matheus Nunes starts and injury calls made

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Manchester City latest as the Blues prepare to welcome Everton to the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League

Manchester City return to Premier League action this weekend with Everton the visitors.

The Blues pieced together a seven game unbeaten run in all competitions between the September and October international breaks and will hope for a similar run of form over the next few weeks.

Those results helped Guardiola's side climb to fifth in the Premier League, just three points behind leaders Arsenal, while they are into the Carabao Cup fourth round and have four points from six in the Champions League.

The visit of an improving Everton, who drew 0-0 at the Etihad last season, will present a stern test but is the type of fixture City must claim three points in if they are to challenge for the title.

Pep Guardiola will be without the injured Rodri with the Spaniard not yet fit enough to return having come off against Brentford last time out while Abdukodir Khusanov is also sidelined.

Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri are back in contention having returned to training but both could have to make do with a place on the bench.

Nico O'Reilly has excelled at left back in recent weeks and can keep Ait-Nouri out of the XI, with Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol the established centre back pairing. There remain question marks at right back in the absence of Khusanov but Matheus Nunes might win the race ahead of John Stones and Rico Lewis. Gianluigi Donnarumma will start in goal.

In midfield, Mateo Kovacic returned to action for Croatia during the international break but it would seem a risk to throw him from the start against Everton given he hasn't kicked a ball for the Blues this season. Nico Gonzalez can continue alongside Tijjani Reijnders.

Jeremy Doku, Phil Foden and Erling Haaland have arguably been City's brightest performers this season so the only other selection call is whether Bernardo Silva starts or if Guardiola opts for a more dynamic attacking option such as Savinho, Oscar Bobb or Rayan Cherki. The likelihood is that the skipper gets the nod.

City predicted XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly; Gonzalez, Reijnders, Bernardo, Foden, Haaland, Doku