Premier League champions Manchester City will be eager to bounce back from Sunday’s surprise defeat at Tottenham Hotspur when they welcome Norwich City to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
The Citizens lost the opening match day match against the familiar foes-Nuno Santo and Son, while Norwich were outclassed by Liverpool on their return to the top flight, losing 3-0 at Carrow Road. Goals from Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah meant they started the season with a defeat.
Manchester City have won their last three home Premier League games against Norwich City by an aggregate score of 14-1, winning 5-0 in the most recent league meeting at the Etihad in July 2019, but Daniel Farke’s men will take confidence from their 3-2 success back in September 2019.
Man City vs Norwich Team News
Manchester City
Phil Foden remains out of action with the ankle injury which kept him out of the Euros final. Ilkay Gundogan is a doubt after injuring his shoulder against Spurs, while Liam Delap is sidelined.
Norwich
Sam Byram and Przemyslaw Placheta are out. Onel Hernandez and Jordan Hugill could return after contracting Covid-19 if the test turn negative while Andrew Omobamidele may be back after his illness.
Manchester City vs Norwich City Predicted Lineups
Manchester City Predicted XI (4-3-3): Ederson Moraes; Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Cancelo ; Kevin De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Grealish; Mahrez, Gabriel Jesus, Sterling
Norwich City Predicted XI (4-3-3): Tim Krul ; Aarons, Grant Hanley, Ben Gibson, Dimitris Giannoulis; Lees-Melou, Billy Gilmour, Lukas Rupp ; Todd Cantwell, Teemu Pukki, Milot Rashica
Manchester City vs Norwich City Key Players
Manchester City-Riyad Mahrez
Riyad Mahrez scintillating run towards the end of last season gave Manchester city their first ever champions league final. The citizens have failed to score in a three consecutive competitive matches and a lot will be expected from the Algerian superstar on Saturday. He scored in all the Man city’s pre-season and also found the net in the 5:0 victory over the visitors in their last meeting.
Norwich-Teemu Pukki
After the sale of Emiliano Buendia to Aston Villa for a club record fee of to £33m, the survival of the cannaries rest solely on the shoulder of the Finland international man. The 11 goals in 36 matches is not enough to save Norwich from relegation in 2019/20 but Pukki is expected to better the stats after firing Norwich to the Premeriship once again with 26 goals in 39 matches in the championship. Teemu Pukki scored one goal and assisted another as Norwich City stunned reigning champions Manchester City at Carrow Road in their 3:2 victory over Manchester city in September 2019 and he will be looking to punish the citizen once more.
Manchester City vs Norwich City Prediction
After the opening day lost to Spurs , Manchester city will be looking for redemption against the cannaries. The return of Belgian talisman has destroyed any hope of Norwich replicating the 3:2 win over the Citizens. The Manchester city record signing, Jack Grealish, will also be looking to play in Ethiad for the first time since securing the £100 transfer move to Manchester city. A lot will be on the Clarke’s men whether they can trouble the city’s back-line or lest the match ends in a perfect clean sheet for Ederson
Manchester city 4 :0 Norwich
Possible Goalscorers-Mahrez x2, Grealish ,sterling.