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Premier League | Gameweek 3
Sep 27, 2020 at 4.30pm UK
Etihad Stadium
LL

Man City
2 - 5
Leicester

Mahrez (4'), Ake (84')
Ake (60')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Vardy (37' pen., 54', 58' pen.), Maddison (77'), Tielemans (88' pen.)
Tielemans (22'), Soyuncu (47'), Amartey (51')

How Manchester City could line up against Leicester City

:Headline: How Manchester City could line up against Leicester City: ID:415914: from db_amp
Sports Mole looks at how Manchester City could line up for Sunday's Premier League clash with Leicester City at the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City welcome the early Premier League leaders Leicester City to the Etihad Stadium for their first home game of the new Premier League season on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola's side got their campaign off to a winning start against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night and backed that up by progressing into the fourth round of the EFL Cup in midweek.

However, Guardiola has been vocal about his lack of options ahead of this weekend's match, claiming that he has only 13 fit senior players for the visit of an in-form Leicester side.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how the injury-hit hosts could line up for the contest.



Out: Gabriel Jesus (unspecified), Sergio Aguero (knee), Ilkay Gundogan (coronavirus), Bernardo Silva (quadriceps), Joao Cancelo (foot), Oleksandr Zinchenko (muscle)
Doubtful: Aymeric Laporte (fitness), Nicolas Otamendi (knock)

> Click here for Man City's latest injury and suspension news ahead of this match

Despite Guardiola's complaints that he only has 13 players at his disposal - perhaps strategically timed with just over a week remaining in the transfer window - Man City should still be able to field a side teeming with quality this weekend.

There is no denying that they are missing some key players, though; record scorer Sergio Aguero remains out for at least another month, Ilkay Gundogan will miss at least four games after testing positive for coronavirus and none of Bernardo Silva, Joao Cancelo or Oleksandr Zinchenko are expected back before the international break.

The former champions have been further hit by the news that Gabriel Jesus will miss at least three weeks with an injury he picked up against Wolves - despite playing the full 90 minutes and scoring late on - leaving them without a recognised senior centre-forward.

Aymeric Laporte also remains a major doubt after recovering from coronavirus, while Nicolas Otamendi is not likely to feature this weekend due to a knock he has picked up.

Many star names are still available, though, including Kevin De Bruyne, who is expected to shake off a heavy challenge from his midweek cameo and could even be named as a false nine of sorts in the absence of Jesus and Aguero.

The PFA Player of the Year picked up where he left off in City's opener on Monday night and comes into this game having scored seven goals and set up six more in his last 10 league starts.

Liam Delap, who scored on his debut for the club in midweek, is another option to lead the line, although at 17 years old Guardiola may feel as though he is not yet ready to be thrown straight in from the start of a Premier League game.

Should De Bruyne start furthest forward then Riyad Mahrez and Ferran Torres are among the options to fill in as the number 10 - a role Mahrez played during the win over Bournemouth on Thursday.

Raheem Sterling is also likely to be restored to the starting lineup after midweek, having directly contributed to 13 goals in 14 league games for Man City since the restart in June - a tally only Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang can beat from Premier League players.

Phil Foden is also in good form and his goal and assist against Bournemouth will surely be enough to keep his place in this weekend's XI.

Kyle Walker may be the only other player to retain his starting spot from Thursday night, though, with the likes of Ederson, Nathan Ake, Benjamin Mendy, Rodri and Fernandinho among the players expected to return to the side.

Eric Garcia is now fit again and available, but John Stones may have done enough against Wolves on Monday night to keep his place for this one.


Video prediction

Watch the Sports Mole Football Shorts prediction for this game below:


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