90min

Manchester City predicted lineup vs West Ham - Premier League

By Grey Whitebloom

Pep Guardiola has often had cause for an enthusiastic thumbs up when watching his Manchester City side of late
Pep Guardiola has often had cause for an enthusiastic thumbs up when watching his Manchester City side of late / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages
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In form Manchester City welcome West Ham United to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon in an enticing clash at the sharp end of the Premier League table.

Guardiola's litany of stars come into the contest on the back of four consecutive victories, the latest of which sealed their place as Champions League group winners ahead of Paris Saint-Germain and their much feared front three. West Ham may not pose quite the same high profile firepower but could well prove to be a sterner test given they defend with all 11 players.

Here's the lineup Guardiola may deploy to hurdle his latest challenge.

Manchester City predicted lineup vs West Ham - Premier League

1. Goalkeeper & defenders

Joao Cancelo
Joao Cancelo has started more games and played more minutes than any other Manchester City player this season across all competitions / John Berry/GettyImages

Ederson (GK) - As long as it's not the League Cup, Ederson starts.

Kyle Walker (RB) - Somehow, City's jet-heeled 31-year-old seems to be getting faster with age. In the week he went toe to toe (quite literally at times) with Kylian Mbappe, Walker will only be buoyed by that bout.

Ruben Dias (CB) - There are a slew of qualities applicable to the reigning FWA Footballer of the Year, but his capacity to rapidly recover for matches often seems to be the facet of his game Guardiola cherishes most.

Aymeric Laporte (CB) - From title-winning catalyst to benched afterthought, the French-born Spain international has lunged between the extremes of City's pecking order, currently clocking in as a frequent first-teamer.

Joao Cancelo (LB) - The raft of otherworldly passing statistics Cancelo has racked up this term are trumped by his status as the only City player to have shirked the rotation policy to start every Premier League game, so far.

2. Midfielders

Bernardo Silva (CM) - The most used player of Guardiola's City era can excel in six different positions according to his manager - often featuring in each of the half-dozen across the same 90 minutes.

Rodri (CM) - Fresh from completing a degree in Management and Business, City's pivot is the backboard to the team's attacks, bouncing the ball back to the rim of the final third on the rare occasions possession is (briefly) lost.

Ilkay Gundogan (CM) - Last season's top scorer hasn't quite replicated that glut of goals so far (though that is more a reflection of his ever-changing role) yet remains integral to a side he has captained in the last four matches.

3. Forwards

Riyad Mahrez (RW) - Afforded just two Premier League starts all season, a spate of injuries may give the silky left-footer a chance to replicate his European form domestically.

Gabriel Jesus (ST) - Despite his repeated insistence that right wing is the role for him, the limited availability of certain teammates may shift City's most prolific Premier League provider this term centrally.

Raheem Sterling (LW) - Fresh off the back of a Champions League goal, expect Sterling to start with Grealish and Foden likely out injured.

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