Mahrez and De Bruyne to start - Man City predicted XI vs Chelsea

direct to your inboxAn ever-changing Premier League title race has taken another twist as Manchester City talisman Kevin De Bruyne has been ruled out for the next month.City have gone from eight points behind Liverpool before Christmas to four ahead of the Champions with a game in hand and two behind Manchester United.

straight to your inbox Kevin De Bruyne will be out for up to six weeks to hand Manchester City another blow to their Premier League title hopes. The Blues discovered yesterday that Sergio Aguero faces an undetermined spell out after testing positive for Covid-19.

straight to your inboxKevin De Bruyne has played down fears over the long-term nature of his injury while speaking to a gamer on Twitch.De Bruyne limped out of Manchester City's win over Aston Villa, and is expected to be out for a fortnight, putting his participation against Liverpool on February 7 in doubt.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola could not find the words to express Kevin De Bruyne's brilliance after another majestic assist helped Manchester City on their way to a 4-0 win over Crystal Palace.Crystal Palace were making life difficult for the hosts before a brilliant ball from the right spun into the box from De Bruyne and was headed in by John Stones for the opening goal.

straight to your inboxPhil Foden caught the eye again for Manchester City in their Premier League clash with Brighton & Hove Albion. The England international opened the scoring just before half-time in Wednesday evening's match against the Seagulls at the Etihad Stadium.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola has suggested that Kevin De Bruyne will continue to be Manchester City's penalty taker despite not dusting himself off to take the spotkick that he won against Brighton. City were struggling to see out the win against a gutsy Brighton side but were given a golden opportunity when Kevin De Bruyne was fouled in the box late on.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola was able to rest some of Manchester City's key players against Birmingham, and his second half substitutions could indicate who is in line to start against Brighton on Wednesday.Raheem Sterling, Ilkay Gundogan and Oleks Zinchenko were rested completely, while Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, John Stones and Kevin De Bruyne all played 45 minutes in City's straightforward FA Cup win at the weekend.

straight to your inbox every day for freeManchester United have included Dean Henderson and Victor Lindelof in their side to face Manchester City tonight.Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has picked a strong team for the Carabao Cup semi-final clash at Old Trafford, with Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford starting.United have made just the two changes from the 11 that beat Aston Villa 2-1 on New Year's Day.

straight to your inboxKevin De Bruyne might be needed to continue as a false nine when Manchester City take on Manchester United for a place in the Carabao Cup final.City travel to Old Trafford for a one-leg semi-final full of confidence after beating Chelsea on Sunday.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola is confident that Kevin De Bruyne will sign a new contract at Manchester City despite the absence of a breakthrough in negotiations. The Blues are keen to tie the 2019/20 Premier League Player of the Year down to a bumper deal that will commit him to the club beyond the terms of his current contract that expires in 2023.

straight to your inboxKevin De Bruyne is ready to turn down Manchester City's opening offer for a new contract, according to reports.De Bruyne enjoyed a fantastic 2020 in which he was crowned the PFA Player of the Year and equalled Thierry Henry's long-standing assist record for a single season with 20.The brilliant Belgian has firmly established himself as the best player in the Premier League and, according to The Times, wants that fact to reflect in his pay packet.It's reported that City want

straight to your inboxKevin De Bruyne says Manchester City need to be winning games against top four rivals more often if they want to challenge at the top of the Premier League.De Bruyne played as a false nine as City were without Gabriel Jesus and Ferran Torres at Stamford Bridge, while Sergio Aguero was only fit enough for the bench. The Belgian was in superb form and registered a goal and assist as City raced into a 3-0 half time lead thanks to a ruthless display in the first 45 minutes.

straight to your inboxRoy Keane believes Kevin de Bruyne is capable of playing any midfield or attacking position on the field after raving about Manchester City's "world-class" star.De Bruyne was at the centre of a vintage Manchester City performance, which saw them beat Chelsea 3-1 at Stamford Bridge. City led 3-0 after a little over a half-an-hour with De Bruyne taking centre stage.

direct to your inboxGraeme Souness is convinced Manchester United and Manchester City will come up short in this season's race for the Premier League title. Souness believes his former club Liverpool will retain their crown this term.