Man City vs Middlesbrough
Venue: Etihad Stadium
Kick off: 4pm
Having beaten Barcelona, Manchester City will be keen to maintain their positive momentum in the Premier League against Middlesbrough on Saturday (today).
After Pep Guardiola endured his worst winless run of his managerial career, his City side came bursting back into form with a 4-0 victory against West Brom last Saturday, before stunning Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday with a 3-1 win.
Guardiola’s men are top of the Premier League on goal difference ahead of Arsenal and Liverpool – all three teams are locked on 23 points.
Sergio Aguero netted twice at the Hawthorns to take his tally to 13 goals in all competitions this season and he is just one away from reaching 150 City goals.
Meanwhile, Middlesbrough ended a run of seven matches without a win against Bournemouth last weekend.
City are still without right-back Bacary Sagna and midfielder Fabian Delph.
Sagna has missed the last six games with a hamstring injury, but could be available after the upcoming international break, while Delph is sidelined after a groin operation.
Claudio Bravo is expected to return in goal after being suspended for the midweek victory over Barca, however, it remains to be seen if midfielder Yaya Toure is recalled after his apology for comments by his agent.
Middlesbrough will be without in-form Gaston Ramirez. The Uruguay international, who scored a stunning goal in last week’s 2-0 win over Bournemouth at the Riverside Stadium, is suspended.
Boro will be boosted by the return of top-scorer Cristhian Stuani and midfielder Marten de Roon, after the pair missed the win over the Cherries, but Dani Ayala remains a major doubt following a recurrence of his ankle injury.
Manchester City Possible XI: Bravo, Fernando, Stones, Otamendi, Kolarov, Gundogan, Fernandinho, Sterling, Silva, Nolito, Aguero.
Middlesbrough Possible XI: Valdes, Barragan, Chambers, Gibson, Friend, Forshaw, Clayton; Traore, Ramirez, Downing, Negredo.
