Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has made three changes to his starting lineup for Saturday's eagerly-anticipated Manchester derby against bitter rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The Citizens will be looking to bounce back from last weekend's 2-0 defeat at home to Crystal Palace, and securing three points this lunchtime would see them become the first team in Premier League history to win eight matches away at Old Trafford.
Jack Grealish, Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte all drop out from the side which beat Club Brugge 4-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday, with Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus and Ruben Dias all recalled this afternoon.
Your derby day line-up! 🔵🔴
— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 6, 2021
XI | Ederson, Walker, Dias, Stones, Cancelo, Rodrigo, Gundogan (C), Bernardo, De Bruyne, Jesus, Foden
SUBS | Steffen, Carson, Ake, Sterling, Grealish, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Palmer#ManCity | @HaysTechnology pic.twitter.com/OmTbxgVcUq
With Laporte suspended, John Stones will partner Dias in the heart of the defence, while Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo will continue as the full-backs – all four defenders are to shield ever-present goalkeeper Ederson between the sticks.
Rodri is preferred again over Fernandinho in the defensive midfield role and the Spaniard is joined in the middle of the pitch by De Bruyne and captain Ilkay Gundogan.
In-form playmaker Bernardo Silva is set to play in a more advanced role in City's attacking front three, joining Jesus and Phil Foden. Grealish, Mahrez, Raheem Sterling and Cole Palmer are all attacking options for Guardiola on the bench.
Oliver Thomas
