Julian Alvarez has been named on the bench for Manchester City's Premier League clash against Everton at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon.
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After being granted time off to celebrate Argentina's World Cup success, the 22-year-old was due to return to the first-team fold in the New Year, which Pep Guardiola revealed at his pre-match press conference.
However, Alvarez has returned early and is named in the matchday squad for City's final game of 2022, which sees Guardiola make just one change following their 3-1 win at Leeds United on Wednesday.
That solitary change sees Bernardo Silva recalled to the first XI at the expense of captain Ilkay Gundogan and the Portugal star will join Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne in centre-midfield.
Teenage starlet Rico Lewis retains his place at right-back, joining John Stones, Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake in the back four, with Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo beginning from the bench.
Erling Braut Haaland, who scored twice against Leeds, continues up front and is joined in attack by Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez, with Phil Foden again starting as a substitute.
As for Everton, Frank Lampard has made four changes to his starting lineup, with Conor Coady, Ben Godfrey, Demari Gray and Dominic Calvert-Lewin all coming in for Yerry Mina, Anthony Gordon, Neal Maupay and Dwight McNeil.
Manchester City starting lineup: Ederson; Lewis, Stones, Akanji, Ake; De Bruyne, Rodri, Bernardo Silva; Mahrez, Haaland, Grealish
Everton starting lineup: Pickford; Patterson, Godfrey, Coady, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Iwobi, Gueye, Onana, Gray; Calvert-Lewin
Oliver Thomas
