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Manchester City team news ahead of the derby with Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola faces a defensive dilemma ahead of the Manchester derby on Sunday.
The Blues head into the contest below their city rivals in the table after a stuttering start to the Premier League campaign which has yielded just three points from three matches.
City will hope to kickstart their season this weekend but are dealing with a number of injury and fitness concerns.
Omar Marmoush, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Mateo Kovacic are sidelined while John Stones is a doubt after pulling out of the England squad with a muscle injury. With Josko Gvardiol having yet to play this season following his own injury and Abdukodir Khusanov withdrawing from international duty with what the Uzbekistan national team described as a two-week injury, there are decisions to make at the back.
Ruben Dias seems a certain starter and Mathues Nunes may well get the nod at right back over Rico Lewis. With no Ait-Nouri, Gvardiol could be pressed into action on the left but the doubts over both Khusanov and Stones, and the latter's recent fitness record, mean the safer bet might be to play the Croat alongside Dias and utilise Nico O'Reilly at left back.
Gianluigi Donnarumma is in line for a debut in goal having arrived from PSG on deadline day despite James Trafford starting the opening three fixtures of the season.
In midfield, Rodri was a sub twice for Spain during the international break and while he is not yet fully fit as he continues to recover from injury, starting him provides City with a midfield platform. Captain Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders can get the nod alongside the Spaniard.
Erling Haaland will lead the line and Jeremy Doku looks set to come in on the left. Phil Foden seems more likely to make an appearance off the bench, likewise Savinho, so Oscar Bobb is poised to continue on the right.
Predicted City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly, Rodri, Reijnders, Bernardo, Bobb, Haaland, Doku.
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