Rayan Cherki will return to City’s starting XI for this afternoon’s Premier League clash with Sunderland.
Pep looking at ways of conceding fewer goals
The 22-year-old attacking midfielder is included in the lineup for the first time since last month’s defeat to Newcastle United.
He’s the only change from Tuesday night’s thrilling win at Fulham, with Tijjani Reijnders dropping to the bench.
City go into the game in second place, with 28 points from 14 games, while our visitors Sunderland have enjoyed a strong start themselves and have 23 points thus far.
Given this is the Black Cats’ first year in the top-flight since 2016/17, it’s almost nine years since the clubs last met.
Teams
CITY XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Nico, Bernardo (C), Foden, Cherki, Doku, Haaland
Subs: Trafford, Reijnders, Ake, Marmoush, Ait-Nouri, Savinho, Khusanov, Bobb, Lewis
Analysing Sunderland ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash
SUNDERLAND XI: Roefs, Mukiele, Geertruida, Ballard, Alderete, Hume, Sadiki, Xhaka (C), Traore, Le Fee, Isidor
Subs: Patterson, O’Nien, Neil, Rigg, Mayenda, Talbi, Adingra, Brobbey, Mundle
Tactics
Gianluigi Donnarumma is protected by a now very familiar back four, with Matheus Nunes and Nico O’Reilly at full-back. Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol are through the middle.
Nico and Bernardo Silva will provide a solid base in midfield, with Jeremy Doku, Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki behind the prolific Erling Haaland.
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Attacking trio
Rayan Cherki’s return to the XI means he, Foden and Doku can reprise their promising attacking midfield unit in support of Erling Haaland.
The trio all started the thrilling home victories over Bournemouth and Liverpool here last month, interchanging behind the Norwegian and creating chances aplenty.
A fluid and unpredictable formation followed, which played a big role in wreaking havoc against two energetic sides.
Pep will be hoping for a similar effect this afternoon.
FLASHBACK
This is Sunderland’s first trip to the Etihad Stadium since Pep Guardiola’s very first Premier League game.
That came way back in August 2016, when there was plenty of anticipation about what Pep might be able to do with City.
Nobody could have predicted what was to come, of course.
But in the game itself, it was about three points that came via a Sergio Aguero penalty and a Paddy McNair own goal.
Now, almost nine and a half years and 18 major honours later, the Black Cats are back.
Match stats
We have won our last six Premier League games against Sunderland, with this the first meeting since a 2-0 away win in March 2017.
Sunderland have never won away in 13 attempts against Manchester City in the Premier League (D2 L11). Their last away top-flight win here was in December 1981 at Maine Road.
We have never lost a Premier League game at the Etihad against Sunderland in 11 meetings (W9 D2) – only Newcastle United (20) and West Brom (12) have played more games here without winning than the Black Cats.
We have won 24 of our last 26 Premier League games against promoted sides, with our last such defeat coming at home to Leeds in April 2021.
We have won 11 of our last 12 Premier League home games, including each of the last six in a row. We’re the third team in Premier League history to lose our opening home match of a campaign then win the next six after Tottenham in 2011-12 and Arsenal in 2013-14, both of whom drew their next match.
We have won all three of our Premier League games kicking off at 15:00 (UK) on a Saturday this season by an aggregate score of 10-3. At home, we’ve won 22 of their last 25 games in this slot (D3), since a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in October 2021.
No team have won more points from losing positions in the Premier League than Sunderland this season (12, level with Aston Villa). Only in 1999/00 (15) and 2000-01 (13) have the Black Cats won more points from behind in a single campaign.
Only against Blackburn (3) did Erling Haaland’s father (Alf Inge Haaland) score more Premier League goals than he did against Sunderland (2). Indeed, his first goal for Manchester City in the competition came against the Black Cats in August 2000.
Phil Foden has scored four goals in his last two Premier League games, having netted just once in his previous 20 appearances. The only Man City player to score 2+ goals in three consecutive Premier League games is Erling Haaland (September 2024), while the he last English player to do so in the competition (all clubs) was Tammy Abraham (September 2019).
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