Manchester City will look to keep the pressure on Arsenal in the Premier League title race as they travel to West Ham on Saturday evening.
Pep Guardiola’s men were flying until they twice threw away the lead to draw 2-2 at home to Nottingham Forest in their last league match. That, coupled with Arsenal beating Brighton, means they’re now seven points behind Mikel Arteta’s side, though they do have a game in hand.
Hosts West Ham are still in the bottom three, but should pose a stern test for Man City, given Liverpool and Chelsea are the only sides to beat them in their last eight league matches and their last 10 in all competitions.
Man City predicted lineup vs West Ham
Man City (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Rodri; Silva; Semenyo, Cherki, Foden; Haaland
The Citizens might make a couple of changes from their bruising 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League, including bringing the likes of Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki and Rayan Ait-Nouri back into the starting lineup.
Man City team news vs West Ham
Rico Lewish hasn’t featured since mid-February due to an ankle injury but has a slight chance of making the squad here — though he’s been out of favour all season anyway. However, Josko Gvardiol won’t be seen again until early May and will be a huge miss for Guardiola.
Mateo Kovacic has also been out long-term with an ankle injury, though he’s back in training and will be eyeing a place back in the squad sooner rather than later.
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Man City must cope without Guardiola in East London
The pressure is well and truly on Man City now, especially in the wake of their 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League. A response is expected and required, with the title race moving into the final sprint.
However, they’re going to have to cope without manager Pep Guardiola, who is serving the first of a two-game touchline ban here.
Guardiola was shown his sixth yellow card of the season in Man City’s 3-1 win at Newcastle United in the FA Cup last week, handing him a two-game suspension in domestic play.
So while Guardiola was on the touchline at the Bernabeu, he will have to watch this clash with West Ham from the stands. The Spaniard will be allowed back down to oversee things in the second leg against Madrid on Tuesday, as well as the EFL Cup final against Arsenal on 22nd March, because cup semi-finals and finals don’t count toward suspensions. The FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool at the start of April will be his second game of the suspension.
What sort of effect this will have on Man City’s performance against the Hammers remains to be seen, but if there is one manager in the Premier League you wouldn’t want to be without, it’s Pep Guardiola.