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

Manchester City spring into action once again fresh off the back of a nine-goal thriller at Craven Cottage on Tuesday night and look to high-flying Sunderland this weekend. 

The Sky Blues head into Saturday afternoon’s challenge against the impressive Black Cats somewhat sheepishly after a show-stopping attacking spectacle away at Fulham’s Craven Cottage in midweek.  

Doubles from City’s Phil Foden and the hosts’ Samuel Chukwueze were the pick of the bunch for either side as Manchester City ran out eventual 4-5 winners despite boasting a 1-5 lead at one stage in the second-half of the contest. 

Erling Haaland made goalscoring history once again as his opener smashed Alan Shearer’s record to become the quickest player in Premier League history to join the much-acclaimed ‘100 club’, doing so in just 111 appearances. 

The Norwegian will be looking to build on this feat at the weekend in a match against a newly-promoted Sunderland side refusing to lay down in their return to the top-flight under the command of French head coach, Regis Le Bris. 

It is the second newly-promoted side in two home games to visit the Etihad Stadium following on from Leeds United, who fell only to a magnificent Phil Foden stoppage time winner following a fight-back from the Whites after the half-time interval. 

However, Sunderland are sitting pretty in 6th place and just one point from UEFA Champions League company, and despite Manchester City’s eight goals scored in the last two games, the Mackems will be sure to provide a real trial for the Blues. 

With Rodri steadily improving his own fitness levels in the background and Mateo Kovacic still waiting for a clear return date in the early months of 2026, here is how we think Manchester City’s line-up will look on Saturday afternoon!

Predicted XI

Gianluigi Donnarumma met his first real taste of the Premier League’s barmy and unpredictable nature on Tuesday night, but the Italian is still a key figure in Manchester City’s defence. He will start this one.

At the beginning of the season, it looked as though the right-back position would dangle in the depths of uncertainty, and despite circulating rumours of January business, Matheus Nunes has been a more than capable gatekeeper in the meantime. 

The leader of the backline and core member of the club’s leadership group, Ruben Dias has been a steadfast selection for Pep Guardiola so far this season and proved his worth in a rearguard pairing with the next player in our prediction.

After his last-minute heroism in the spellbinding visit to Craven Cottage, Josko Gvardiol proves he can pop up at the right moments time after time. We think it will be refreshing to see the Croatian retain his spot.  

There have been little others that can be argued to have had a more consistent start to the season as Nico O’Reilly has this campaign. The 20-year-old is almost undroppable in Pep Guardiola’s eyes at present, and he should keep his place against Sunderland. 

Nico has stepped up and connected the dots in the absence of Ballon D’or winner Rodri in the heart of defensive midfield, and has proved he has no fear of getting his hands dirty when needs be. 

Tijjani Reijnders’ second competitive goal in Manchester City colours – scored in midweek – will be an immense confidence booster for the Dutchman, and his midfield presence can help to unlock what has been an organised and compact Sunderland defensive set-up.  

The man of the moment, Phil Foden is a must-have amongst the starters this weekend. His back-to-back braces in two games are just the coversheet for his sky-high confidence, which has been abundant of late.

Rayan Cherki is another of Pep Guardiola’s illustrious attacking threats and has impressed when called-upon this season, and we think his ability to glide between positions will be instrumental this weekend. 

Brimming with confidence and ripping out a page of the record book each week, Erling Haaland will no doubt be raring to pile onto his Premier League tally in what will be a vital performance at the Etihad Stadium.

And completing the 11, Jeremy Doku was unfortunate to have had his strike against Fulham ruled as an own goal at the expense of Sander Berge, but we think his agility will once again play a starring role this weekend. 

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

Substitutes: Trafford, Khusanov, Stones, Ake, Ait-Nouri, Bernardo, Savinho, Bobb, Marmoush.