Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola will supposedly take no risks over the fitness of Kevin De Bruyne for Sunday's Premier League top-of-the-table clash with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium.
The Belgian playmaker hurt his groin in the Citizens' goalless draw with Inter Milan in the Champions League, and reports have claimed that he will be kept in reserve for Sunday's blockbuster ahead of a hectic period of fixtures.
In his pre-game press conference, Guardiola said that De Bruyne "could" be available, but the City boss was hardly going to give anything away to the opposition 48 hours before the game.
If reports are to be believed, De Bruyne takes his place in the infirmary alongside Nathan Ake (thigh) and Oscar Bobb (leg); he is not expected to be sidelined for long, but Guardiola is not short of competent replacements.
Phil Foden - who is yet to start a single game this season - should be the one to take De Bruyne's spot in the City XI, although the Englishman may be given the nod on the left flank as Bernardo Silva pulls the strings in the number 10 role.
Savinho and Erling Haaland will be expected to complete the attacking quartet, as the latter seeks to become the first player in Premier League history to reach the 10-goal mark after just five games of a new season.
Guardiola could also drop Silva back alongside Rodri to allow Foden to operate centrally, thus starting either Jack Grealish or Jeremy Doku on the left, but it would not be surprising to see Mateo Kovacic link arms with Rodri in the middle.
Ederson, Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol should all reprise their roles in defence, but Guardiola may side with the pace and experience of Kyle Walker over Rico Lewis for such a high-stakes battle, especially if Gabriel Martinelli or Raheem Sterling start on the left for Arsenal.
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Rodri; Savinho, Silva, Foden; Haaland
> Click here to see how Arsenal could line up for this clash
Ben Knapton
