Manchester City vs Club Brugge: Latest City injury news and predicted City starting eleven

Manchester City take on Club Brugge tonight in their final UEFA Champions League league phase fixture. The equation is simple for Pep Guardiola’s side. Win and they progress to the next stage of the competition. Lose or draw tonight’s match and they exit the Champions League. It’s against this backdrop that the world champions simply must perform tonight. But they will face a Club Brugge side who are unbeaten in their last 20 games in all competitions and are also desperate to qualify for the next stage of the Champions League.

Here is the latest Manchester City injury news and my predicted City starting eleven for tonight’s crucial fixture.

Latest Manchester City injury news

Three players will all miss tonight’s fixture due to injury. Rodri, Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake are all out of tonight’s match. In good news for Manchester City Oscar Bobb could return to City’s squad for today’s match. Pep Guardiola informed the media yesterday that Bobb’s return from a fractured leg is imminent.

Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis are all ineligible for tonight’s match.

But it does appear that Pep Guardiola’s squad is edging closer to full strength. John Stones should start tonight’s match after his promising cameo appearance against Chelsea last Saturday.

Predicted City starting eleven

Ederson: Ederson put in a fine display against Chelsea last weekend. His long balls to Haaland were a decisive factor in City’s 3-1 win. That form should see him start tonight.

Matheus Nunes: Nunes has become an important player for Pep Guardiola after Kyle Walker’s departure to AC Milan. I believe he’ll start over Rico Lewis for tonight’s must-win match.

John Stones: After playing the majority of the second half against Chelsea Stones appears primed to start tonight. He’ll have a pivotal role to play tonight in the heart of City’s defence.

Manuel Akanji: Another automatic selection for Pep Guardiola. It’s hard to see anyone else other than Akanji playing alongside John Stones at centre-back tonight.

Josko Gvardiol: The Croatian international put in a dominant display against Chelsea. Especially going forward. Gvardiol should be an automatic selection tonight.

Mateo Kovacic: Kovacic hasn’t been at his best for Manchester City’s past two games. But I feel he’ll start alongside Bernardo Silva in midfield at the Etihad tonight.

Bernardo Silva: He put in a man-of-the-match display against Chelsea. That performance alone should see Bernardo Silva start tonight and he’ll have a huge role to play against Club Brugge.

Kevin De Bruyne: With Omar Marmoush ineligible for tonight’s match and De Bruyne only playing the final 20 minutes against Chelsea he should return to the starting lineup tonight.

Phil Foden: Foden has started 2025 in dominant fashion. If he fires tonight he could well win the match for Manchester City.

Savinho: With Jeremy Doku injured and Omar Marmoush unavailable I believe that Savinho will start over Jack Grealish on City’s left wing. The Brazilian international has played well recently and the hope is that he can tonight in such a pivotal game.

Erling Haaland: The circumstances surrounding tonight’s match are made for Erling Haaland. It’s a must-win game for his team and if plays like he did against Chelsea and is provided with the service he needs Haaland could help secure City’s place in the next stage of the Champions League.