Man Cityvs.Man Utd

The England international has missed the Citizens' last two Premier League games due to bronchitis, but he was fit to watch on as an unused substitute on Wednesday as Pep Guardiola's men lost 2-0 to Juventus in the Champions League.

Foden is one of two players who has been recalled to Guardiola's starting lineup along with Matheus Nunes; Jack Grealish and the suspended Rico Lewis make way.

As a result of Man City's well-documented injury problems, Guardiola has only named three recognised defenders in his first XI in the form of captain Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol.

Guardiola suggested at his pre-match press conference that Nunes could be used as a right-back, which could therefore see Walker operate as a central defender next to Dias.

In midfield, Ilkay Gundogan is set to link arms with Foden and Kevin De Bruyne, while Bernardo Silva and Jeremy Doku provide support from out wide for central striker Erling Haaland.

Man City have been boosted by the return of John Stones to the substitutes' bench, while 20-year-old striker Divin Mubama - who joined the club in August following his release from West Ham United, is named in the senior matchday squad for the first time.

Rashford, Garnacho dropped as Amorim makes four changes to Man Utd XI

As for Man United, Ruben Amorim has made four changes to the side that beat Viktoria Plzen 2-1 in the Europa League on Thursday.

Harry Maguire, Manuel Ugarte, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund all come into the side at the expense of Tyrell Malacia, Casemiro, Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford, the latter of whom has been left out completely along with Alejandro Garnacho.

Explaining the absence of both players, Amorim told Sky Sports: "We try to evaluate everything training performance, game performances, engagement with teammates, push their teammates up. Everything is on the line when we analyse and try to choose the players. It is my selection. Simple."

"I don't want to send a message it is simply an evaluation and they know it. The players are really, really smart. Everybody understands my decision and I have to choose. It is simple selection."

Meanwhile, Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martinez and Maguire are all expected to line up in central defence, and Noussair Mazraoui could operate as a wing-back along with Diogo Dalot.

Captain Bruno Fernandes is set to start in a deeper midfield role next to Ugarte, as Mason Mount and Amad Diallo begin in advanced roles in behind Hojlund.

Kobbie Mainoo, Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof are among this afternoon's substitutes for the Red Devils.

Manchester City starting lineup: Ederson; Walker, Dias, Gvardiol; Nunes, Gundogan; Bernardo, De Bruyne, Foden, Doku; Haaland

Subs: Ortega, Stones, Kovacic, Grealish, Savinho, Simpson-Pusey, Mubama, O'Reilly, McAtee

Manchester United starting lineup: Onana; De Ligt, Maguire, Martinez; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dalot; Amad, Mount; Hojlund

Subs: Bayindir, Lindelof, Malacia, Yoro, Casemiro, Eriksen, Mainoo, Antony, Zirkzee

Written by

Oliver Thomas