Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne has been named on the substitutes' bench for this afternoon's Premier League trip to North London against Tottenham Hotspur.
The 31-year-old, who has provided more assists (11) than any other player in the Premier League so far this season, was not involved in the reverse fixture against Spurs last month which saw the Citizens win 4-2 at the Etihad Stadium.
Now, Pep Guardiola has decided to leave the Belgium on the bench again for their trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and has made a total of three changes from the side that beat Arsenal in the FA Cup last week.
Goalkeeper Ederson returns between the sticks at the expense of Stefan Ortega, while the injured John Stones makes way for former Spurs man Kyle Walker, who is poised to start at centre-back alongside Manuel Akanji – Rico Lewis and Nathan Ake, meanwhile, are set to operate as full-backs.
Rodri and Bernardo Silva will start in centre-midfield behind an attacking quartet of Riyad Mahrez, Jack Grealish, Julian Alvarez and Erling Braut Haaland.
Phil Foden, meanwhile, is not involved in the matchday squad despite Guadiola revealing at his pre-match press conference that the 22-year-old should be available for selection after missing the previous two matches with a foot injury.
January signing Maximo Perrone make his first appearance on the substitutes' bench for City, joining the likes of Ilkay Gundogan, Kalvin Phillips, Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte.
As for Tottenham, Antonio Conte has made seven changes to the side that beat Preston North End 3-0 in the FA Cup, with Rodrigo Bentancur, Ivan Perisic, Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min the only four players who retain their places.
Star striker Harry Kane is among those to return to the first XI, while deadline-day signing Pedro Porro – formerly on the books at Man City – is named on the bench.
Manchester City starting lineup: Ederson; Lewis, Walker, Akanji, Ake; Bernardo, Rodri; Mahrez, Alvarez, Grealish; Haaland
Subs: Ortega, Dias, Laporte, Phillips, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Perrone, Palmer, Gomez
Tottenham Hotspur starting lineup: Lloris; Romero, Dier, Davies; Emerson, Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Perisic; Kulusevski, Son; Kane
Subs: Forster, Porro, Sanchez, Lenglet, Sessegnon, Bissouma, Skipp, Richarlison, Danjuma
Oliver Thomas
