Man City lineup vs. Tottenham: Predicted XI for Premier League clash

Pep Guardiola will be without at least five players for Saturday lunchtime’s Premier League clash with Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium.

While Mateo Kovacic and Kalvin Phillips continue to recover from Achilles surgery, Spurs-linked Savinho missed City’s impressive 4-0 opening win at Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend due to an unspecified injury and is facing a few weeks on the sidelines amidst uncertainty over his future.

Rodri (groin), Ederson (illness), Phil Foden (ankle) and Josko Gvardiol (knock) have all taken part in team training this week after missing the win at Molineux, but Gvardiol is not yet fit to return and will miss this weekend's game along with backup goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli.

However, Guardiola has confirmed that both Rodri and Foden are "ready" to face Spurs, while Galatasaray-linked Ederson is also available after he missed the win at Wolves due to illness.

Guardiola will now weigh up whether to recall goalkeeper Ederson or stick with new signing James Trafford, who kept a clean sheet on his debut last weekend, while a decision is also to be made at right-back, with Matheus Nunes pushing to replace Rico Lewis despite his impressive outing at Wolves.

The absence of Gvardiol is therefore set to see Rayan Ait-Nouri continue at left-back and John Stones retain his starting spot in central defence alongside Ruben Dias, who has committed his future to the club by signing a new long-term contract.

Nico Gonzalez picked up a minor arm injury in the win at Wolves, but he has trained throughout this week and is fit to keep his place in midfield alongside captain Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders, who scored and provided an assists during a superb man-of-the-match display on his Premier League debut last weekend.

Should Reijnders be given licence to roam forward once again, Foden may be forced to battle with Oscar Bobb - another impressive performer against Wolves - for a start on the right flank, while Omar Marmoush will hope to take the place of Jeremy Doku on the left.

Rayan Cherki will also be pushing to make his full Premier League debut after scoring as a substitute against Wolves, but he may have to settle for a place on the bench once again to begin win, while Erling Haaland is expected to lead the line and is looking to add a couple more goalscoring records to his ever-growing collection after netting a brace last weekend.

Manchester City possible starting lineup: Trafford; Nunes, Stones, Dias, Ait-Nouri; Bernardo, Gonzalez; Bobb, Reijnders, Marmoush; Haaland

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