As predicted, Pep Guardiola has rung the changes for Manchester City’s latest Premier League match, making seven alterations for the visit of Leeds.
Ilkay Gundogan (£6.0m), Rúben Dias (£6.2m), Kevin De Bruyne (£12.0m), Riyad Mahrez (£8.2m) and Phil Foden (£6.0m) are all among the substitutes for Gameweek 31.
Meanwhile, Sergio Aguero (£10.3m) misses out altogether with an injury not hinted at until Friday night, confirmed only as Manchester City released their team news on Saturday morning.
Aymeric Laporte (£6.0m) has also missed the cut, reportedly not “fully fit” according to the club’s official team-sheet bulletin.
His absence, and Dias’ benching means Nathan Aké (£5.4m) comes in for his first Premier League minutes since Gameweek 15, playing at centre-back alongside John Stones (£5.2m).
Benjamin Mendy (£5.9m) and João Cancelo (£6.0m) are handed with the full-back positions while it looks as if Oleksandr Zinchenko (£5.5m) has been trusted with the central midfield role he often fulfils on international duty with Ukraine.
Bernardo Silva (£7.4m) joins him in the middle while Raheem Sterling (£11.3m), Gabriel Jesus (£9.2m) and Ferran Torres (£6.9m) are the front-three this afternoon.
By contrast, Leeds make just one change for Gameweek 31; Jack Harrison (£5.4m) ineligible to face his parent club.
Hélder Costa (£5.0m) comes in as his replacement on the left-hand side of a midfield quartet alongside Stuart Dallas (£5.1m), Tyler Roberts (£4.6m) and Raphinha (£5.6m).
Pascal Struijk (£4.0m) remains on the bench with Liam Cooper (£4.3m) and Diego Llorente (£4.4m) earning a second successive start as a centre-back pairing.
Gameweek 31 Line-ups
Manchester City XI (4-3-3): Ederson; B Mendy, Aké, Stones, Cancelo; Zinchenko, Fernandinho, B Silva; Sterling, Jesus, Torres.
Leeds United XI (4-1-4-1): Meslier; Alioski, Llorente, Cooper, Ayling; K Phillips; Costa, Roberts, Dallas, Raphinha; Bamford.
3 years, 5 months ago
Shackleton MOTM