Manchester City welcome Fulham to the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
The Citizens currently sit second in the table and two points adrift of leaders Arsenal, while the Cottagers are flying high in seventh place, five points behind the top four.
Pep Guardiola’s side saw out a tightly contested clash with Leciester City last week with Kevin De Bruyne’s free-kick securing all three points at the King Power Stadium.
Team News
Guardiola is hopeful that Erling Braut Haaland will be fit to lead the line for Man City on Saturday; the Norwegian striker has missed the last two games with ankle ligament damage and will be assessed ahead of kickoff.
Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips both remain sidelined as they continue to recover from respective groin and shoulder surgeries, but there is optimism around both players in their quest to return before the World Cup.
After making seven changes against Sevilla, Guardiola is expected to recall a number of his first-team regulars, with De Bruyne, Rodri and Bernardo Silva all set to start in midfield.
Centre-back Manuel Akanji missed training earlier this week and was not involved on Wednesday, but he is expected to be fit for Saturday’s game and could return to the back four along with Joao Cancelo, John Stones and Nathan Ake, who were all benched in midweek.
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
In what is set to be an enthralling contest, here is how Some Man City Fans and Media expect Pep Guardiola’s side to line-up.
Evening Standard XI: Ederson; Stones, Dias, Ake, Cancelo; Rodri, De Bruyne, Silva; Grealish, Alvarez, Foden
90min XI: Ederson; Stones, Akanji, Dias, Cancelo; Rodri, De Bruyne, Silva; Grealish, Haaland, Foden
Alex Brotherton (MEN) XI: Ederson; Stones, Dias, Ake, Cancelo; Rodri, De Bruyne, Bernardo; Foden, Haaland, Grealish.
City report XI: Ederson; Stones, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo; De Bruyne, Rodri, Bernardo; Foden, Alvarez, Grealish
City Xtra XI: Ederson; John Stones, Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, Joao Cancelo; Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva; Phil Foden, Julian Alvarez, Jack Grealish.
@FPLInvestigator: Ederson, Stones, Akanji, Ake Cancelo, Rodri, KDB, Gundogan, Bernardo, Haaland, Grealish
@4lex_mcfc: Ederson, Stones, Akanji, Laporte, Cancelo, Rodri, KDB, Bernardo, Foden, Haaland, Grealish
Who do you think will be in the XI against Fulham?
Best Starting XI base on Majority: Ederson; John Stones, Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, Joao Cancelo; Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva; Phil Foden, Erling Haaland, Jack Grealish.
