Manchester City will aim to continue their perfect start to the Premier League season when they take on Coventry City at the Etihad.
Rayan Cherki put on a show in the second half of Manchester City’s impressive win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Erling Haaland’s goal separated the two teams at half-time, but the French attacking midfielder eventually scored twice and was named the man of the match.
The win gave Manchester City a perfect start to their Premier League campaign, following their opening-weekend victory over Bournemouth. They now return to the Etihad to face newly promoted Coventry City, as Enzo Maresca aims to continue collecting wins and build momentum at the top of the table. City will enter the weekend at the summit, albeit only because of their superior goal difference.
Manchester City also enjoyed a stellar end to the transfer window, adding Enzo Fernandez and Iliman Ndiaye to bolster their midfield and attack. With Maresca’s side looking strong at the start of the season, they will come into the weekend as favourites to win again and retain their position at the top of the table.
Meanwhile, Coventry City have not made the best of starts on their return to the Premier League, with Frank Lampard’s side losing both of their opening matches. First, they faced a difficult trip to reigning champions Arsenal, losing 3-0 at the Emirates.
Last weekend, they had an opportunity to put things right when they faced fellow newly promoted side Hull City at home. The visitors arrived in confident mood following an impressive 2-0 victory over Manchester United on the opening day, and Coventry and Hull played out a tough, cagey encounter.
A late goal from Liam Millar proved decisive for Hull City, separating the two teams and handing Coventry another defeat. While Lampard will hope for a major turnaround at the third time of asking, his side face the daunting prospect of taking on Manchester City away from home. Even a point would be regarded as a massive result.
Team News and Tactics
Manchester City
Enzo Maresca remains without key attacker Jeremy Doku for this game, while Matheus Nunes is also a major doubt. As a result, Abdukodir Khusanov is expected to continue at right-back, while Maresca is likely to retain the same back four that started against Palace.
The manager may be tempted to hand record signing Fernandez his full debut, although the Argentine could instead come off the bench in the second half. Therefore, Maresca could continue with a midfield partnership of Elliot Anderson and Nico O’Reilly.
Overall, the Manchester City boss is not expected to make any changes to the team that started against Palace. Phil Foden and Antoine Semenyo should start on either wing, while Cherki will continue to pull the strings in the attacking midfield role. Erling Haaland, who opened his account for the season with a brace last weekend, will lead the line against Coventry City.
Probable lineup (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias, Guéhi, Gvardiol; Anderson, O’Reilly; Foden, Cherki, Semenyo; Haaland
Coventry City
Frank Lampard will once again have to cope without key attacker Haji Wright, who remains sidelined for an extended period. Frank Onyeka and Sidiki Cherif are also major doubts after missing the match against Hull City, with their availability dependent on late assessments before kick-off.
There is another concern over Bobby Thomas, who was taken off in the previous match with a cramp. Although he will also be assessed, the defender should be fit enough to take his place in the matchday squad, either from the start or on the bench.
Lampard is expected to persist with a 4-3-3 formation, with Bobby Thomas and Aurele Amenda in central defence. Matt Grimes will sit at the base of midfield, with Jack Rudoni and Caleb Yirenkyi on either side of him, providing defensive support and creative thrust. Taiwo Awoniyi will lead the line, with Loum Tchaouna and Ephron Mason-Clark operating in the wide areas.
Probable lineup (4-3-3): Rushworth; Van Ewijk, Thomas, Amenda, Dasilva; Rudoni, Grimes, Yirenkyi; Tchaouna, Awoniyi, Mason-Clark
Key Stats
- Erling Haaland has scored 19 goals in 20 top-flight appearances against newly promoted opposition.
- Manchester City are on a 30-match unbeaten run against newly-promoted sides, consisting of 27 wins and three draws, dating back to April 2021.
- Coventry City are surprisingly unbeaten in their last eight top-flight meetings with Manchester City.
- Frank Lampard has seen his teams fail to keep a clean sheet in 18 consecutive Premier League matches, conceding 37 goals during that period.
- Manchester City lead the Premier League for successful passes (1,315) so far this season and have played 94.6% of their passes short, the highest ratio in the league. They are also top for passing accuracy (90.9%) and passing accuracy while under high-intensity pressure (85.8%).
Player to Watch
Rayan Cherki
Cherki’s impact and importance have been clear for Enzo Maresca to see, following a game-changing cameo in the opening match and a starring performance in the second. The Frenchman is showing why he could become a key figure in this Manchester City setup, and the weekend’s game against Coventry offers another opportunity to strengthen that reputation.
The 23-year-old has recorded four goal contributions across his opening two Premier League matches this season (two goals, two assists). Overall in the competition, the French international has now recorded 15 across his 20 starts (five goals, 10 assists).
He could pose a major threat to Coventry, with some arguing that he could be even more dangerous than a certain Haaland. Cherki’s creativity and ability to unlock defences will serve Maresca well as he looks to challenge for the title. Saturday’s game will provide another chance to watch the attacking midfielder closely.
Prediction
Manchester City 3-0 Coventry City
Coventry City are expected to struggle at the home of another side considered a title challenger as the season progresses. As they did against Arsenal, Frank Lampard’s men could struggle to make an impact in this clash, although they will hope to finish the game with a respectable scoreline.
Manchester City are finding their rhythm under Enzo Maresca, and this could be another impressive display from the team. Last season’s runners-up also have an excellent record against newly promoted sides in recent years, and that run could continue this weekend, with City expected to win comfortably and keep a clean sheet in the process.
