Blues seeking to record back to back victories after win at Hawthorns
Manchester City vs Middlesbrough
Competition: F.A. Premier League
Date: 3.00pm, Saturday 5th November 2016
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Referee: Kevin Friend Assistants: R West, A Holmes Fourth Official: M Jones
Odds: City 1/4, Draw 6/1, Middlesbrough 16/1. Find a free bet on City games here: BiggestFreeBets.com list of free bets
Tickets: Available via mcfc.co.uk
TV: Match of the Day
Manchester City
Manager: Pep Guardiola
Squad (from): Bravo, Caballero, Gunn, Adarabioyo, Angelino, Clichy, Kolarov, Kompany, Maffeo, Otamendi, Stones, Zabaleta, De Bruyne, Fernando, Garcia, Gundogan, Navas, Silva, Sane, Sterling, Aguero, Iheanacho, Nolito
Injured: Sagna, Delph
Doubtful: Fernandinho
Suspended: None
Form guide: WDDLW
Middlesbrough
Manager: Aitor Karanka
Squad (from): Valdes, Guzan, Mejias, Konstantopoulos, Fabio, Friend, Ayala, Bernardo, Gibson, Barragan, Chambers, Husband, Leadbitter, Clayton, Fischer, de Roon, De Pena, Downing, de Sart, Nsue, Forshaw, Rhodes, Negredo, Stuani, Nugent, Traore
Injured: None
Doubtful: Ayala, De Roon, Stuani
Suspended: Ramirez
Form guide: WDLDL
Bacary Sagna and Fabian Delph are City's only absentees for the visit of Middlesbrough tomorrow afternoon, but manager Pep Guardiola says both are making good progress from their respective injuries.
“Fabian Delph, he has no pain,” Guardiola confirmed. “He is happy but he is still training alone.
“Bacary is getting better and after the national team break he will be fit.”
Guardiola also said that captain Vincent Kompany could be recalled to the starting line-up as the Blues seek to secure back-to-back Premier League victories, having beaten West Brom 4-0 last weekend.
“Yeah, maybe,” he said. “I have to think this afternoon about my team, speak to the physios about their physical conditions.”
City's last home game against Middlesbrough ended in a 2-0 defeat in the Fourth Round of the 2015 F.A. Cup. Overall City have won 50 of the 126 games played against Boro, with 27 draws and 49 defeats.
Predicted line-up: Bravo, Zabaleta, Stones, Kompany, Clichy, Fernando, Silva, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Sterling, Aguero
Score prediction: City 2 Middlesbrough 1