Manchester City Launch New Premier League Season Against Bournemouth
Manchester City kicks off their 2026-27 Premier League season today with a match against Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium. This game marks Enzo Maresca’s debut as the new City manager, and excitement surrounds the beginning of a new chapter for the FA Cup and Carabao Cup title holders.
As City prepares to face Bournemouth, the Cherries are also starting a new phase, having appointed Marco Rose as their manager following Andoni Iraola’s departure. Bournemouth boasts a squad rich in talent and experience, presenting a challenging test for Maresca’s team at home.
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Below is the latest team news for Manchester City, along with a predicted starting eleven for their first match of the season.
Latest City Team News
Jeremy Doku will be unavailable for today’s match due to a calf injury sustained during the FA Community Shield against Arsenal last weekend. Enzo Maresca announced on Friday that Doku is expected to be out for 2-3 weeks.
In a positive development for City, Matheus Nunes will be ready to play. After suffering an injury during warm-ups leading to their previous loss against Arsenal, Nunes has recovered and is fit for today’s match.
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Regarding the squad, today’s bench is likely to feature younger players as Rodri and Tijjani Reijnders have recently transferred to Barcelona and Al Qadsiah, respectively. Additionally, Savinho appears close to completing a transfer to Tottenham. The inclusion of Omar Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez in the squad remains uncertain, as both players have been linked with moves away from the club. Their absence from today’s team could hint at future developments concerning their careers.
The formation for City’s starting eleven should be straightforward. Below is my predicted lineup for the match.
Predicted Manchester City Starting Eleven
Manchester City begin their 2026-27 Premier League campaign today when they take on Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium. Today will be Enzo Maresca’s first Premier League match as City manager. While the focus all week has been on players departing Manchester City, today is an exciting day as a new era gets underway for the FA Cup and Carabao Cup holders.
City will take on Bournemouth today, who themselves are embarking on a new journey. Andoni Iraola has left the Cherries dugout and has been replaced by Marco Rose. Bournemouth are a good team, with a squad filled with quality players and established performers. A tough test awaits Enzo Maresca’s side at the Etihad Stadium.
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Here is the latest Manchester City team news and my predicted City starting eleven ahead of Manchester City’s first Premier League fixture of the new season.
Latest City team news.
Jeremy Doku will miss today’s match for Manchester City due to a calf injury. Enzo Maresca informed the media on Friday that it is expected that Doku will be sidelined for 2-3 weeks due to the calf injury he sustained against Arsenal in the FA Community Shield last weekend.
In positive news for Enzo Maresca’s side, Matheus Nunes is available to play today. Manchester City’s first-choice right-back was injured in the warm-up prior to Manchester City’s loss to Arsenal last Sunday. However, he has overcome that issue and is fit to play today.
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In terms of Manchester City’s squad for today’s match, the bench is likely to have a youthful look to it. Rodri and Tijjani Reijnders have left City this week to complete moves to Barcelona and Al Qadsiah. Savinho is on the verge of finally moving to Tottenham. It remains to be seen if Omar Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez will be selected in the City squad for today’s match. Both players have been heavily linked with summer transfers. If they aren’t in Manchester City’s squad today, it may provide an indication of where their futures lie.
In my opinion, the City starting eleven should be a relatively straightforward selection. My predicted City starting eleven can be seen below.
Predicted Manchester City starting eleven.
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