Man City XI vs Bournemouth: Starting lineup, confirmed team news, injury latest for Premier League today | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca without Jeremy Doku as title bid begins at the Etihad Stadium

The Belgian winger started the 3-0 Community Shield defeat by Arsenal in Cardiff last weekend but was forced off at half-time and replaced by Jack Grealish.

Doku picked up a calf injury which will keep him sidelined for at least two more weeks.

It is bad news for Enzo Maresca, who has now had to rejig his front four to make up for the absence of a key player.

“At the moment, the only one [unavailable] is Jeremy Doku,” Maresca said at his pre-match press conference on Friday.

“Unfortunately in the last game at half-time he was complaining about a calf pain.

Ruled out: Jeremy Doku will not play for Manchester City against Bournemouth

Erling Haaland - showcasing a shock new look after cutting off his famous long hair - keeps his place up front, though the make-up of the trio behind him has been rearranged.

Phil Foden and Antoine Semenyo remain and are joined by Nico O’Reilly, who moves forward as Josko Gvardiol shifts to left-back and Marc Guehi comes into central defence to partner Ruben Dias.

Matheus Nunes has shaken off a muscle issue suffered in the warm-up in Cardiff and takes a seat on the bench, with Abdukodir Khusanov staying at right-back and Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal as usual.

Mateo Kovacic drops to the bench, with new £116million signing Elliot Anderson joined in the midfield engine room by Rico Lewis. Versatile duo Lewis and O’Reilly could also swap roles.

Omar Marmoush is surprisingly named among the substitutes despite being expected to join Tottenham soon along with City team-mate Savinho, who is not involved at all once more.