How Manchester City could line up against Tottenham Hotspur

Since this article was published, this match has been postponed due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Manchester City defenders Kyle Walker and John Stones are both major doubts for Saturday's Premier League showdown with Tottenham Hotspur.

Walker was withdrawn in the final 10 minutes of the draw at Aston Villa last weekend with a muscle injury, while Stones is understood to have picked up a similar problem in training before the midweek Champions League win against Sevilla, a fixture which both players subsequently missed.

With Aymeric Laporte also on the sidelines – as he continues to recover from knee surgery – summer signing Manuel Akanji is in line to make his first Premier League start in defence after making his debut against Sevilla.

Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo and Sergio Gomez joined the Swiss international in the back four on Tuesday, and they are all expected to retain their places in the starting lineup, although Nathan Ake is also an option to play in defence.

In midfield, Pep Guardiola will ponder whether to select Bernardo Silva in the middle of the pitch alongside Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri or to use the playmaker in the front three, where he has operated in each of the last two Premier League matches.

Ilkay Gundogan could start in centre-midfield if Bernardo is named on the right side of a front three, which is expected to include Phil Foden and Erling Braut Haaland, who were both on the scoresheet in midweek – the latter of whom has now netted 12 times in just eight games across all competitions.

The likes of Jack Grealish, Riyad Mahrez, Kalvin Phillips, Julian Alvarez and Cole Palmer are all expected to be named among the substitutes' bench.

Manchester City possible starting lineup: Ederson; Cancelo, Akanji, Dias, Gomez; De Bruyne, Rodri, Gundogan; Bernardo, Haaland, Foden

> Click here to see how Tottenham Hotspur could line up for this contest