Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Sunderland: Phenomenal Cherki Primed to Deliver

Manchester City have won their previous eight matches across all competitions.

Rayan Cherki is in terrific form for the Cityzens. / Alex Livesey/Danehouse/Getty Images

Manchester City will be aiming to start 2026 as they mean to go on when they visit Sunderland in the Premier League on New Year’s Day.

The Cityzens fell further behind league leaders Arsenal on Thursday but can restore the gap to just two points by beating the Black Cats. Pep Guardiola’s men will not be short on confidence following eight successive wins in all competitions, one of those their 3–0 triumph over Sunderland back in early December.

City have nine matches across four competitions in January and will need to rotate wherever possible, but injuries and international absences limit Guardiola’s selection pool. Still, he’s got plenty of talent at his disposal.

Here is how City could line up at the Stadium of Light.

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Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Sunderland (4-1-4-1)

Rayan Cherki (left) is one of City’s chief attacking threats. / Carl Recine/Getty Images

GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma—Sunderland are not particularly prolific scorers but 80% of their goals this season have come on their own patch, where they are undefeated in the Premier League. Donnarumma can expect to be put to work.

RB: Rico Lewis—Guardiola might need to utilise every opportunity to rotate his team and right back is one area that could be refreshed against Sunderland. Matheus Nunes has played a lot of football lately and could make way for Lewis.

CB: Rúben Dias—Dias scored a thunderbolt in the reverse fixture reminiscent of Vincent Kompany’s famous strike, but he will be more focused on thwarting the likes of Wilson Isidor and Brian Brobbey on Thursday.

CB: Joško Gvardiol—Gvardiol was also on the scoresheet against Sunderland as he headed beyond Robin Roefs, taking his tally to 13 goals in total for the Cityzens.

LB: Nico O’Reilly—With Rayan Aït-Nouri representing Algeria at the Africa Cup of Nations, Guardiola has little room to rest O’Reilly despite the young left back’s intense schedule over recent weeks.

DM: Nico González—Rodri returned to the bench against Nottingham Forest last time out and will eventually be eased back into the XI, but Nico will continue in the lineup against Sunderland.

DM: Tijjani Reijnders—Reijnders has rediscovered his goalscoring touch with back-to-back goals against West Ham United and Forest, the Dutchman providing enormous threat in and around the penalty area.

RW: Savinho—Another area in which Guardiola could shuffle his pack is at right wing. Potentially replacing Bernardo Silva, Savinho could be offered a chance to impress as City close in on the signing of Antoine Semenyo.

AM: Rayan Cherki—Cherki sparkled in the reverse fixture, even producing a rabona assist, and he was the decisive factor in victory over Forest with a goal and assist for the Cityzens. He’s in electric form.

LW: Phil Foden—Cherki’s brilliance has overshadowed Foden in recent weeks but the Englishman is still providing for City. He converted the Frenchman’s skilful assist in the clash with Sunderland at the Etihad and now has 13 goal contributions across all competitions this term.

ST: Erling Haaland—Haaland has only blanked in back-to-back starts once this season and that spells trouble for Sunderland given he failed to find the net at the City Ground. The Norwegian will be desperate for a first career goal against the Black Cats.

City could make a few changes from the win over Nottingham Forest. / FotMob

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