Gabriel Jesus will miss today’s game with Bournemouth through injury.

The in-form Brazilian joins John Stones, Benjamin Mendy and Leroy Sane on the sidelines as Pep Guardiola makes one change from the side that drew 2-2 with Tottenham.

David Silva returns to the starting XI and makes his 400th Club appearance with Rodrigo dropping to the bench.

READ: Sterling’s incredible record versus Bournemouth

READ: Gabriel Jesus injury update

This is how we line up at the Vitality Stadium...

City:

Ederson, Walker, Zinchenko, Otamendi, Laporte, Gundogan, Bernardo, Sterling, De Bruyne, Silva (c), Aguero

Subs: Bravo, Angelino, Rodrigo, Fernandinho, Cancelo, Mahrez, Foden

KYLE WALKER : Starts today
KYLE WALKER : Starts today

Team notes:

Just one change suggests that the boss was (understandably) happy with the team that drew with Tottenham last weekend.

Ilkay Gundogan gets the nod in the anchor role this afternoon, while Angelino and Fernandinho are named among today’s subs.

The Blues will play their usual, fluid 4-3-3 formation in what is likely to be a sun-drenched Vitality Stadium

Like City, Bournemouth have taken four points from their opening two games, drawing with Sheffield United and winning at Aston Villa.

Blues look for early response

Pep Guardiola said he didn’t want to talk about the significance of dropped points at this stage of the season and just a couple of games in, he is correct.

It’s way to early in the campaign, though if the title race is anything like last season, both City and Liverpool will be keen to keep the other in touching distance.

Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Arsenal puts them on nine points from three games with the Merseysiders looking in fine form on Saturday evening.

City’s VAR heartbreak against Spurs means a win against Bournemouth is crucial, despite the face we are still in August.

That said, there is a long, long way to go.

 

 

 

Stats and facts:

Kevin De Bruyne will beat Mesut Ozil‘s assist record if he sets up a goal for a team-mate against Bournemouth. De Bruyne has 49 assists from 122 matches and is set to hit a half-century quicker than any of the 36 players who have reached that total. Ozil took 141 appearances to reach 50.

City have a 100%-win record from eight matches against Bournemouth - the best in English top-flight history with an aggregate score of 25-3.

The Blues do love to be beside the seaside, having won their last eight Premier League trips to the south coast.

Raheem Sterling has scored 10 goals in nine career games against Bournemouth and also has two assists.