Predicted Starting Line-Up: Manchester City vs West Ham (Premier League) | OneFootball

Manchester City will return to Premier League action in the Premier League this weekend, hosting West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium.  

The Blues defeated Brentford 2-0 on Wednesday night in a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie to set up a last-four meeting against Newcastle United over two legs in matches now scheduled or January and February.

Goals from the ever-impressive Rayan Cherki and the somewhat out-of-form Savinho secured the all-important victory for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side in midweek, and a significantly rotated line-up.

Next up for Manchester City is a below par West Ham side as Guardiola’s squad look to keep the pressure on league leaders Arsenal. In fact, City can provisionally go top of the league rankings with a win on Saturday afternoon, before the Gunners face Everton later in the day. 

As Manchester City took the chance of rotating their starting line-up against Keith Andrews’ Brentford in midweek, it is highly likely the side will return to it’s very full strength on Saturday afternoon.

Pep Guardiola’s side will then have seven days before their next match in all competitions against Sean Dyche’s rejuvenated Nottingham Forest outfit after they face the Hammers at the Etihad.  

Here’s how we think Manchester City will line-up against West Ham on Saturday afternoon! 

Predicted XI

In goal, Gianluigi Donnarumma is likely to return to the starting line-up. James Trafford was given the start on Wednesday night for the cup, but the Italian has started every Premier League match since his arrival – keeping six clean sheets in 13 appearances.  

Matheus Nunes is expected to return after Rico Lewis stepped in at right-back against Brentford. The Portugal international has really found his feet in the role, putting in some excellent performances in the position and has started City’s last 11 Premier League matches – completing the full 90 minutes in each.  

The centre-back partnership of Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias has been Pep Guardiola’s preferred choice so far this season, and we expect that trend to continue on Saturday afternoon.  

Both players were rested on Wednesday night as Nathan Ake and Abdukodir Khusanov took their places. Dias has started 15 out of the 16 Premier League matches this season and has looked back to his brilliant best.  

Nico O’Reilly started the match against the Bees but was substituted in the 65th minute. The 20-year-old has made the left-back position his own this season, showing his undoubted quality, as well as scoring his first Champions League goal – and where better to do that than the Bernabeu against 15-time champions Real Madrid. 

Nico Gonzalez also started and was brought off in the 65th minute with O’Reilly in Carabao Cup action, and he seems to have cemented the holding role in the absence of Rodri. The Spaniard has started Manchester City’s last 12 matches in all competitions.  

Meanwhile, Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders could start with both proving to be key to Pep Guardiola’s side so far this season. The former has been key for many years as a City player, whilst Reijnders has settled brilliantly after his arrival from AC Milan.

The Dutch international picked up an assist on Wednesday as part of a strong performance – his sixth for the Blues in all competitions – and he has already eclipsed his assist tally from last season with four.

Rayan Cherki could start his fifth consecutive match for Manchester City after being able to fully display his qualities of late. The Frenchman has 11 goal contributions this season – more than any other Premier League summer signing.  

A stunning strike from the edge of the 18-yard box against Brentford that could not have been any further into the top corner put Manchester City in front as Cherki scored his fourth goal for the club. A generational talent on our hands.  

Divine Mukasa stepped in against Brentford in place of Erling Haaland in what was more of a false-nine role albeit fluid across the attacking line, but the Norwegian is expected to return to the starting line-up.  

The striker has started every Premier League match for Manchester City this campaign, scoring 17 goals in that period. He scored a brace last week versus Crystal Palace and the 25-year-old looks better than ever before.  

Phil Foden has been in exceptional form as of late as he seems to be recuperating his form that won him the PFA Player of the Year award in 2024. The 25-year-old has already beaten his goal tally from last season and equalled his assist total, with six goals in his last four Premier League matches. The Englishman will most likely play on the left and drift centrally. 

Starting XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Nico, Bernardo, Reijnders; Cherki, Haaland, Foden. 

Substitutes: Trafford, Bettinelli, Lewis, Khusanov, Ake, Mfuni, Gray, Mukasa, Savinho.