Field Level Media
15 Sep 2023, 22:55 GMT+10
(Photo credit: Samantha Madar/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK)
Matheus Nunes could make his Manchester City debut on Saturday when the three-time defending champions make the tricky trip to West Ham United.
City (4-0-0, 12 points) completed its bid for Nunes from Wolverhampton Wanderers before the close of the league's primary transfer window earlier this month, after he was one of the few constants for the Midlands side last season.
The 25-year-old Portuguese midfielder is the most natural fit in a box-to-box role vacated by former City captain Ilkay Gundogan after the German star's free offseason transfer to Barcelona.
But Nunes could provide depth elsewhere, too, as City deals with the long-term injury absence of playmaker Kevin De Bruyne.
"He can play in multiple positions," City manager Pep Guardiola said Friday. "He has special qualities which are so difficult to find. ... In time, he will learn to be more precise in the simple things, the first touch and pass. The way we train and the dynamic we have, he will get it. ... He has qualities a manager can't dream of."
City's only blemishes have come in two largely ceremonial matches, a 1-1 draw against Arsenal in the Community Shield before the season and another tie by the same score against Sevilla in the UEFA European Super Cup.
A critic could say Guardiola's men have yet to be tested while playing only one of last year's top six finishers so far.
West Ham (3-0-1, 10 points) are one of four teams two points off the pace following the international break, with manager David Moyes' side winning the last three following a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth to open the season.
Even more encouragingly, two of those victories have come away from London Stadium, a reversal from last season when the club's away form dumped the Hammers into a relegation fight.
The biggest difference hasn't been performance so much as end product, with six goals on their travels and nine overall. Jarrod Bowen leads the squad with three goals, and James Ward-Prowse has provided a team-leading three assists since his arrival from relegated Southampton.
"We've had three of our four games away, which is a really tough call. Quite a few have had three at home, so for us to get those points from three away games is really good," Moyes said. "We've scored goals and we look as if we are going to score goals, and if that continues, we will have a great chance of picking up points."
--Field Level MediaGet a daily dose of Birmingham News news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Birmingham News.
More InformationOTTAWA, Canada: With Canada Post struggling to maintain operations amid labour unrest, rivals like FedEx and UPS are stepping in to...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. and global markets showed a mixed performance in Tuesday's trading session, with some indices edging higher...
PARIS, France: French military and intelligence officials have accused China of orchestrating a covert campaign to damage the reputation...
NEW DELHI, India: Birkenstock is stepping up its efforts to protect its iconic sandals in India, as local legal representatives conducted...
HONG KONG: China has fired back at the European Union in an escalating trade dispute by imposing new restrictions on medical device...
NEW YORK, New York - Monday's trading session saw mixed performances across U.S. and global markets, with several major indices posting...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Trump administration has made public a visa decision that would usually be kept private. It did this to send...
LONDON, U.K.: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer won a vote in Parliament this week to move ahead with changes to the country's welfare...
The delay adds yet another twist to Trump's original 90 deals in 90 days promise -- so far yielding only two vague trade agreements...
Los Angeles [US], July 9 (ANI): 'Bridgerton' actress Simone Ashley has joined the cast of 'The Devil Wears Prada 2,' according to Deadline....
The European Union is edging closer to finally adopting its latest sanctions package, the 18th since the full-scale Russian invasion...
(Photo credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images) Harris English may have to face the next two critical tournaments in the United Kingdom...