Otamendi and De Bruyne poised to make full league debuts
Manchester City vs West Ham United
Date: 17.30pm, Saturday 19th September 2015
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Referee: Robert Madley Assistants: M McDonough, M Perry Fourth Official: C Pawson
Odds: Manchester City 3/10, Draw 6/1, West Ham 12/1
Tickets: Available via tickets.mcfc.co.uk
TV: Sky Sports 1
Manchester City
Manager: Manuel Pellegrini
Squad (from): Caballero, Hart, Wright, Demichelis, Kolarov, Maffeo, Mangala, Otamendi, Sagna, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Fernando, Navas, Roberts, Silva, Toure, Zuculini, Aguero, Bony, Iheanacho, Sterling.
Injured: Zabaleta, Clichy, Delph, Kompany, Nasri
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Form guide: WWWWW
West Ham
Manager: Slaven Bilic
Squad (from): Adrian, Randolph, Spiegel, Collins, Cresswell, Demel, Henry, Jenkinson, O'Brien, Oxford, Reid, Tomkins, Amalfitano, Antonio, Cullen, Kouyate, Lanzini, Moses, Noble, Obiang, Payet, Samuelsen, Carroll, Jelavic, Lee, Sakho, Zarate
Injured: Ogbonna, Song, Valencia
Doubtful: Zarate, Obiang
Suspended: None
Form guide: WWLLW
Vincent Kompany and Samir Nasri are ruled out following injuries sustained in the Champions League defeat to Juventus. Fabian Delph, Gael Clichy and Pablo Zabaleta remain long term absentees, although manager Manuel Pellegrini refused to bemoan the club's injury problems:
"We didn’t concede any goals in the first five games so it’s important to play with the same team as much as you can. I never complain about the players we don’t have though as that’s why we have two players for every position.
Nicolas Otamendi is expected to deputise for Kompany, whilst Kevin De Bruyne is poised to make his full league debut. Pellegrini was full of praise for the Belgian youngster:
"De Bruyne is adapting quickly to our system,” he said.
"I’m very happy with him – it’s the same as Raheem as in we now have a player we didn’t have last season who gives another option to our squad."
City's last home game against the Hammers ended in a 2-0 victory, thanks to an own goal from James Collins and Sergio Aguero. Overall City have won 48 of the 100 games played against West Ham, with 16 draws and 36 defeats.
Prediction: City 2 West Ham 1