Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is facing a selection headache as he prepares his side to take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Thursday evening (8pm GMT).
City drew 1-1 with Everton at the Etihad Stadium on New Year's Eve after a stunning goal from Demarai Gray cancelled out Erling Haaland's first-half opener. The Norwegian scored his 21st goal in the league this season but it was not enough to overcome a stubborn defence from Frank Lampard's side.
Graham Potter's men were also held to a draw in their last game against Nottingham Forest, with both sides eager to get back to winning ways on Thursday night. City know that a win would see the gap to Arsenal close to just five points, while Chelsea can move up three places to seventh with a win against the Blues.
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The squad depth that the Catalan manager has available to him means that there is no shortage of options for Guardiola to choose from to take on Chelsea.
In goal, Ederson will undoubtedly start between the sticks as he goes in search of both his and City's seventh clean sheet of the season after Gray found a way past the Brazilian last week.
It looks set to be all change at the back, with Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo tipped to be named in the first-team after sitting on the bench against the Toffees. Aymeric Laporte faces a late fitness test, meaning that Nathan Ake could line-up at centre-back alongside John Stones.
A familiar midfield trio of Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne will likely be turned to by the City manager. The German was left out of the starting XI for the 1-1 draw on New Year's Eve and the Blues sorely missed his presence in the middle of the pitch.
Up front, Haaland will go in search of his 22nd Premier League goal and could well have Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez for company. Foden was brought on with minutes remaining against Everton and so nearly found the winning goal for his side if it was not for Seamus Coleman's intervention.
Predicted City team vs Chelsea: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Ake, Cancelo; Rodri, Gundogan, De Bruyne; Foden, Mahrez, Haaland.
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