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How Manchester City could line up against Bournemouth

Ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash between Manchester City and Bournemouth, Sports Mole looks at how Pep Guardiola's could line up at the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City head into their Premier League encounter with Bournemouth looking to extend their advantage at the top of the standings to five points.

Pep Guardiola's side play a day earlier than each of their main rivals for the top-flight crown, but that may only lead to the pressure increasing on Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Arsenal.

City have put together a 14-match unbeaten run in all competitions, with 12 wins, 44 goals and 10 clean sheets all coming during that period.

Guardiola has a number of selection dilemmas ahead of Saturday's game, and here Sports Mole looks at how his team could line up at the Etihad Stadium.



MCYXI VS. BOU

Out: Benjamin Mendy (knee), Kevin De Bruyne (knee), Claudio Bravo (Achilles), Eliaquim Mangala (knee)
Doubtful: Bernardo Silva (knock), Ilkay Gundogan (foot), Gabriel Jesus (groin)

Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva and Gabriel Jesus all missed Tuesday's Champions League fixture in Lyon, but Guardiola expects to have each of the trio available to play some part of this weekend's encounter.

Guardiola could look to rotate some of his key men due to the club's upcoming schedule, and that may lead to Bernardo coming in for Raheem Sterling on the right flank.

Fabian Delph is a likely inclusion having started the game in France on the bench, but whether the England international starts at left-back or in midfield could depend on the fitness of Gundogan.

Nicolas Otamendi could return in the centre of the defence with Aymeric Laporte due a rest after already making 18 starts this season, while Danilo may get the nod over Kyle Walker at right-back.

The game is likely to come too soon for Kevin De Bruyne, with it having previously been reported that the Belgian playmaker is aiming to make his comeback from a knee injury ahead of next weekend's meeting with Chelsea.

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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola pictured on September 29, 2018
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City32227376324473
2Arsenal32225575264971
3Liverpool32218372314171
4Aston Villa33196868491963
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs32186865491660
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle321551269521750
7Manchester UnitedMan Utd32155124748-150
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham33139115258-648
9Chelsea31138106152947
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton321111105250244
11Wolverhampton WanderersWolves32127134651-543
12Fulham33126154951-242
13Bournemouth32119124757-1042
14Crystal Palace3289153754-1733
15Brentford3388174758-1132
16Everton3298153248-1627
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3379174258-1626
18Luton TownLuton3367204670-2425
19Burnley3348213368-3520
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd3237223084-5416


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