Manchester City welcome Southampton back to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday in the Premier League, just four days after they knocked the Saints out of the Carabao Cup, agencies report.
Guardiola has a huge amount of defensive injury problems currently with long-term absentee Aymeric Laporte being joined in the treatment room by Oleksandr Zinchenko and Rodri – with the former set to miss six weeks while he recovers from recent knee surgery with the latter out with a hamstring strain.
The loss of both is a blow for City, but with John Stones now fit again, and Benjamin Mendy available at left-back, there are enough players available for Guardiola in the defence. Fernandinho also returns after missing the cup game through suspension after being sent off against Aston Villa last time out.
In attack, it remains to be seen whether Sergio Aguero, who scored twice against Southampton in the Carabao Cup, starts up front ahead of Gabriel Jesus, with the Argentina international only finding himself on the bench in the club’s last two Premier League games.
Meanwhile, for Southampton, other than Ryan Bertrand who is suspended for the clash, they have a fit squad to choose from. It is likely Hasenhuttl will make changes from the side that lost 9-0 to Leicester last Friday though, with goalkeeper Alex McCarthy and defender Jack Stephens both hoping to start after playing well against City in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday. Up front it is expected that Danny Ings - who has scored six times in 12 appearances this season - will get the nod, after Shane Long failed to take his chance against City.
