Manchester City Predicted XI: We predict manager Pep Guardiola’s starting XI as travel to Tottenham Hotspur in the afternoon kick off in the Premier League

Manchester City Predicted XI: We predict manager Pep Guardiola’s starting XI as travel to Tottenham Hotspur in the afternoon kick off in the Premier League.

Guardiola signed an extension to his City contract this week, which was welcome news for City fans and the club as a whole.

The Spaniard will be desperate to follow up the news with an away victory over Spurs this weekend, but he’ll know his side are in for a tough match.

City currently sit 10th in the Premier League table and know a win today will be vital as they look to push up the table and challenger for top honours once again.

It has been a gruelling week of international football for both squads, so much of the manager’s decisions will be based around which of their players are fit and raring to go.

Here we predict Guardiola’s XI…

Goalkeeper:

Ederson: The first choice Brazilian will continue to keep his place between the sticks and Guardiola will be hoping his distribution will be key once again. The goalkeeper position is one of the only areas on the pitch where City do not have vast injuries problems.

Defenders:

Unfortunately for Pep, Nathan Ake was a casualty of the international break and won’t be appearing this afternoon. The decent centre back pairing of Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Dias will have the task of keeping Spurs’ incredible forward line quiet. That leaves, England international Kyle Walker at right back and the in-form Joao Cancelo at left back.

Midfielders:

The majority of City’s midfielders enjoyed a very successful international break, most notably Phil Foden and Kevin de Bruyne who we expect to see in the starting team this afternoon. That leaves Rodri to play in the holding position, with Fernandinho still not ready to start a game. Another casualty will be Ilkay Gundogan, as we back Pep to name an attacking line-up against Spurs this afternoon.

Forwards:

Raheem Sterling will be hoping to recover from the injury he sustained in England training. Even if 75% fit, we expect Pep to take a risk and start Sterling this afternoon. That leaves Gabriel Jesus who scored for City last time out and the tricky Rhiyad Mahrez on the other flank. We expect Bernado Silva and Ferran Torres to be the unlucky pair that find themselves with on the bench.

Predicted XI: Ederson, Walker, Laporte, Dias, Cancelo, Rodri, Foden, De Bruyne, Sterling, Mahrez, Jesus