Man City look to press home early advantage

LONDON: The Premier League season is only four games old, but ahead of Saturday’s home game with Bournemouth, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City already appear the

Published on: Sep 17, 2016, 08:00:18 IST

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LONDON: The Premier League season is only four games old, but ahead of Saturday’s home game with Bournemouth, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City already appear the team to beat.

Last weekend’s impressive 2-1 derby win at Manchester United left City with the only 100 percent record in the division and they followed it up with a classy 4-0 Champions League victory over Borussia Moenchengladbach.

The Gladbach game was held back 24 hours due to a ferocious rainstorm on Tuesday, but Ilkay Gundogan, who made his debut in Wednesday’s rearranged fixture, does not believe it will have an adverse effect.

“We are all professional enough to handle such situations and we are all used to playing Wednesday-Saturday,” the Germany midfielder said in a interview posted on the City website.

“It maybe makes a small difference, but we are professionals and we always try to do our best. It shouldn’t affect us on Saturday when we are on the field.”

Sergio Aguero was City’s match-winner against Gladbach with a hat-trick — his second in the Champions League this season — but he is suspended for Bournemouth’s visit.

Kelechi Iheanacho, a goal-scoring replacement for Aguero against Gladbach, is expected to take the Argentine’s place at the tip of the attack. David Silva is due to miss out after sitting out the Gladbach game with an unspecified minor injury.

CECH RETURNS FOR ARSENAL AT HULL

LONDON: Petr Cech will return in goal for Arsenal at Hull City on Saturday after missing the 1-1 Champions League draw at Paris St Germain in midweek.

Colombian David Ospina was selected in Paris and made some fine saves but manager Arsene Wenger told a news conference on Friday that Cech would be back at Hull.

He added that Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey was still unfit and would also miss the League Cup game at second-tier Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.

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