Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has admitted that Kevin De Bruyne and Nathan Ake are unlikely to return Sunday's Premier League showdown against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux.
The Citizens are known to be without ACL victim Rodri and Oscar Bobb (leg fracture), but De Bruyne (groin) and Ake (thigh) were thought to have been in contention to return.
However, Guardiola confirmed on Friday that the game should come too soon for both of them, although Ake is in with a better chance of travelling and making the bench.
As a result, the reigning champions could put out a near identical XI to the one that bested Fulham 3-2 two weekends ago, as Erling Haaland bids to replicate his astonishing four-goal showing against Wolves from May's 5-1 thumping.
Norway's all-time top male scorer has eight strikes to his name from just four matches against Wolves, but only one of those has come away from home, and he should be supported by Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden once more.
However, a fierce battle is brewing on the left-hand side between Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish, the former of whom scored a delightful goal against Fulham, while the latter shone for England in their UEFA Nations League beating of Finland.
Doku might just edge it on this occasion, but the pairing of Mateo Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan should remain untouched, and the same goes for Rico Lewis, Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanji and Ederson in defence; the latter two did not train on Thursday but are expected to be given the all-clear.
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Gundogan; Silva, Foden, Doku; Haaland
> Click here to see how Wolves could line up for this match
Ben Knapton
