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Sergio Aguero makes his first City start in four months as Pep Guardiola rotates his side for the visit of West Ham United.
Men’s team
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The club’s record scorer has only made seven appearances on the bench since his last start – ironically against West Ham in October.
He is one of seven changes to the squad that beat Borussia Monchengladbach in midweek.
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Oleksandr Zinchenko, John Stones. Fernandinho, Kevin De Bruyne, Ferran Torres and Riyad Mahrez are also recalled, much of the squad that played in Budapest on Wednesday starting on the bench.
TEAMS
City: Ederson, Walker, Zinchenko, Dias, Stones, Fernandinho (c), Gundogan, De Bruyne, Torres, Mahrez, Aguero
Submarines: Steffen, Sterling, Jesus, Laporte, Rodrigo, Bernardo, Mendy, Cancelo, Foden
West Ham: Randolph, Coufal, Dawson, Diop, Cresswell, Rice, Soucek, Johnson, Fornals, Lingard, Antonio
Substitutes: Martin, Trott, Balbuena, Benrahma, Lanzini, Noble, Bowen, Odubeko
Training and tactics
Without Joao Cancelo, there will be no drifting phantom full-back in midfield.
West Ham may have planned to reverse this threat, so cutting and changing the roster makes it difficult for opponents to make detailed plans.
Stones resumes their partnership with Ruben Dias, although with Aymeric Laporte also available it looks like the manager can use two of the three with the same effective results.
Ferran Torres will also be keen to impress, and he and Mahrez will be tasked with creating opportunities for Aguero.
De Bruyne and Gundogan will be arguing from the middle of the park, with skipper Fernandinho in the role of anchor.
SERGIO boost
Sergio Aguero had to be patient as he waited to come back to the side with a series of injuries, and then the coronavirus bypassed the city’s legend for most of the campaign.
Guardiola struggled to say he wouldn’t rush the Argentinian, wanting to be 100% sure he was in good shape before naming him in the starting XI.
Aguero will be hungry for goals and is there a better striker in the world to come back for the last third of the season?
It has been a difficult campaign for Kun, but there is still plenty of time for her to become memorable.
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Hammer time
City’s record-breaking run will be tested this afternoon as the fit Hammers arrive in town.
David Moyes’ side has become one of the surprises of the season and real challenges of the Champions League.
Moyes has built a healthy, creative and strong defensive team in midfield and dangerous in attack.
They will look to continue this race at the Etihad and on the road they have lost just three of their 12 matches.
In short, they’ve been West Ham’s best side in years, and it will be a tough 90 minutes for the Premier League leaders.
STATS AND MILESTONES
- West Ham are winless in 11 games against City in all competitions since a 2-1 league win at the Etihad Stadium in September 2015 (D2, L9).
- This season’s 1-1 reverse draw in October ended City’s nine-game winning streak against the Hammers.
- City have scored in 19 successive league and cup games against West Ham.
- City are enjoying the longest competitive winning streak in the history of a top English side. Thirteen of their 19 successive victories have taken place in the league.
- City are undefeated in 26 games in all competitions (W23, D3) – two games less than their longest unbeaten streak under Pep Guardiola, which takes place in 2017.
- City have never lagged behind in their last 17 league games, conceding just four goals.
- Our 15 clean sheet tally is the highest of any team after 25 high profile games since 2008-09.
- The only goal City conceded in their last 11 home games was a home side goal of Ruben Dias in a 1-1 draw with West Brom on December 15.
- Ilkay Gündogan has scored nine Premier League goals in 2021, four more than any other player.
- Raheem Sterling has been involved in 14 goals in 15 Premier League appearances against West Ham, scoring eight and putting in six.
West Ham United
- West Ham have won seven of their nine Premier League games in 2021.
- The Hammers are in the top four after 25 top-level appearances for the first time since 1986, when they finished third.
- A seventh away win of the season on Saturday would equal the club’s Premier League record for a single campaign, last achieved in 2015-16.
- David Moyes has made 40 Premier League away games without a win against the top six opponents since his Everton side defeated Manchester City in December 2010 (D12, L28).
- Moyes is winless in his eight competitive appearances as a coach against Pep Guardiola, losing all four away matches.
- Michail Antonio’s 42 Premier League goals came from inside the penalty area.
CITYZENS: SCORE PREDICTOR – Score Predictor_City v West Ham PL 20/21
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