Early team news: Defender arrives on crutches ahead of Manchester City vs Bournemouth (Premier League)

Sergio Gomez has arrived at the Etihad Stadium on crutches on Saturday afternoon, according to sources in the build-up to the official release of team news.

Manchester City will meet Bournemouth for the first time this season on Saturday afternoon, boasting a sensational record against The Cherries made up of 12 wins from the last 12 meetings in the Premier League between the two sides.

Following some relatively mixed form prior to the most recent international break, City returned have won every contest since the return of club action, having defeated the ever-impressive Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United in the English top-flight.

Erling Haaland is starting to find his more usual heights in front of goal, putting two strikes past Andre Onana in the Old Trafford goal last weekend, before assisting another for Phil Foden in a 0-3 away victory for Pep Guardiola’s side over their city rivals.

The meeting with Andoni Iraola’s side this weekend precedes Manchester City’s return to action in the UEFA Champions League, as they look to book their spot in the knock-out stages of the competition with victory against BSC Young Boys at the Etihad Stadium.

The reigning European champions have been boosted by the return of John Stones to full fitness, after the England international centre-back missed the large share of the opening months of the season with a muscular problem.

Kevin De Bruyne remains ruled out through injury and is expected to make a return to first-team training later on this year, having undergone surgery on a hamstring problem back in late August.

Ahead of the release of the confirmed and official starting line-ups at the Etihad Stadium in this afternoon, a number of sources have began releasing snippets of Pep Guardiola’s starting line-up and matchday squad.

As per Joe Bray of the Manchester Evening News, Pep Guardiola’s left-back option Sergio Gomez has arrived with the rest of the squad at the Etihad Stadium but on crutches – indicating he will play no part in the contest.

It remains unknown as to the nature of the Spain international’s fitness problems, however Pep Guardiola could provide details in the run-up to kick-off or during his post-match debrief this weekend.

Joe Bray has also confirmed that Mateo Kovacic is part of Pep Guardiola’s starting line-up to take on Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium, following his omission from the eleven that defeated Manchester United at Old Trafford last weekend.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, as well as Pep Guardiola, are expected to confirm their respective starting line-ups at approximately 14:00 BST on Saturday afternoon.

Now confirmed.