The big question over Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City line-up this weekend is whether Sergio Aguero will return.
Gabriel Jesus has hit the ground running since arriving at the club and seems to have struck up an impressive understanding with Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane, who are surely undroppable.
With Jesus offering exactly what Guardiola wants from his forwards – pressing and fighting qualities as well as goals and assists – it seems unlikely the Brazilian will be dropped.
There are several other issues to be resolved, too, as City welcome Paul Clement’s resurgent Swansea City.
MAN CITY INJURIES
City’s injury list is surprisingly light at the moment, with just Ilkay Gundogan unavailable.
Vincent Kompany is being eased back in gently, while Fabian Delph stepped up his return with another late run-out at West Ham on Wednesday.
Jesus fighting qualities no surprise to Guardiola
In fact, Guardiola’s biggest problems at the moment concern the players he has to cut from his squad. Kelechi Iheanacho has not made the last three squads, Nolito has barely had a look-in since Christmas, while Gael Clichy and young midfielder Aleix Garcia have also struggled to make the squad.
Getty
Getty
MAN CITY SUSPENSIONS
Similarly, City do not have any suspensions to worry about. Fernandinho returned from his ban against West Ham but could not force his way back into the starting line-up.
Swansea have no suspensions either.
MAN CITY POTENTIAL STARTING LINE-UP
Guardiola could well select the same line-up which worked so well at West Ham. Willy Caballero replaced Claudio Bravo in goal in midweek and while that may have been to combat the Hammers’ physical threat at set-pieces, the Argentine did nothing wrong and could well keep his place, especially if the City boss keeps the back four the same.
After keeping a clean sheet against Watford in December he stuck with the same back four against Arsenal in the following game, and there is surely a temptation to do the same again on Sunday.
Fernandinho could not get back into the line-up at the expense of Yaya Toure and that could well be the case again, as the Ivorian linked up well in the centre with Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva at the London Stadium.
'I feel sorry for Bravo' - Courtois
De Bruyne and Silva were able to operate from deep, with Sterling and Sane wreaking havoc on the wings. With Jesus in the middle, City had a system that worked – there appears to be little reason to change that.
Goal
SWANSEA CITY TEAM NEWS
Swansea have won their last two matches, 3-2 at Liverpool and 2-1 at home to Southampton, and will arrive at the Etihad Stadium full of confidence.
Paul Clement's “coaching, coaching, coaching” approach has helped get the best out of a squad that had sunk to the bottom of the Premier League table.
At Anfield they played confident, attacking football that seemed to catch Jurgen Klopp’s side off guard. That, though, could play into City’s hands, given the Blues' success against teams who do not set up in a deep defensive block.
Guardiola calls for time to overhaul squad
Clement has been able to name the same side for their last two matches and could well do so again at the Etihad, given he has no fresh injury concerns.
Leon Britton and Jefferson Montero are doubtful.
BEST OPTA MATCH FACTS
-
Manchester City have lost only one of their 11 Premier League matches against Swansea City (W8 D2) and are unbeaten in the last nine.
-
Swansea have lost all five of their Premier League visits to the Etihad, conceding 12 goals and scoring just two.
-
Gabriel Jesus had a hand in two goals on his first Premier League start in their midweek win over West Ham – one more goal involvement that Sergio Aguero in his last five Premier League appearances (one goal, no assists).
-
Yaya Toure has now scored all of his 11 penalties in the Premier League following his midweek spot-kick against West Ham. He has scored the most of any player with a 100% record from the spot in the competition.
-
Manchester City have won just two of their last 12 Premier League games played on a Sunday (W2 D5 L5).
TV COVERAGE & KICK-OFF TIME
The game kicks off at 13:30 UK time on Sunday, February 5, and is available on Sky Sports 1 in the UK.
