Manchester City begin a defining month of fixtures across three competitions with their hopes of silverware hanging in the balance.

The Blues have a win or bust Champions League tie against Club Brugge to come at the Etihad on Wednesday night with their European hopes on the line. Before then comes a tough test against a Chelsea side who begin the weekend one place and two points better off than Pep Guardiola's men having returned to winning ways last time out when they beat Wolves.

City also face Arsenal, Newcastle United, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest over the coming weeks while an FA Cup fourth round tie with Leyton Orient should see them into a last 16 clash to take place in early March.

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City's injury woes continue with Ruben Dias forced off against PSG with an abductor injury which will keep him sidelined for this weekend. Jeremy Doku missed the midweek clash with a knock and also won't feature today.

With John Stones not yet ready to return from the start, Guardiola has something of a defensive crisis. City have splashed out more than £60million on two new centre halves this week but it would be a risk to throw either 20-year-old Abdukodir Khusanov or 19-year-old Vitor Reis straight into the team given their limited training time. Khusanov is the more likely contender to play but City could move Josko Gvardiol from the left into the middle and draft in Rico Lewis. Matheus Nunes could continue at right back with Manuel Akanji knitting the backline together.

Ederson is set to retain his place while the remainder of the side could replicate the PSG trip despite the disappointing defeat. Omar Marmoush completed his move this week but seems set to feature off the bench, and while Jack Grealish will be hoping for a recall to the starting XI after a goal and an assist as a sub in the Champions League. Savinho has been performing well and it would be a big call to leave out either Kevin De Bruyne or Phil Foden.

Mateo Kovacic and Bernardo Silva both had poor displays on Wednesday but the pair remain the most effective midfield duo with Ilkay Gundogan the obvious alternative.

Predicted City XI: Ederson, Nunes, Akanji, Gvardiol, Lewis; Kovacic, Bernardo, De Bruyne, Foden, Savinho, Haaland