Sterling and Laporte benched as Guardiola rings changes

Raheem Sterling (£11.5m) has been benched for the third time this season as Pep Guardiola rang the changes for Manchester City’s trip to Watford.

That will be of huge frustration to those who have signed him off the back of his recent incredible form.

However, the England international was not the only important player left on the bench by Guardiola with ever-present Aymeric Laporte (£6.1m) named there for the first time this season.

Riyad Mahrez (£8.5m) and Vincent Kompany (£5.2m) were the two that came in for them.

Elsewhere in the side there was a return for Kyle Walker (£6.5m) and Fabian Delph (£5.3m) at full-back and David Silva (£8.7m) in midfield.

Meanwhile, Gabriel Jesus (£10.1m) and Leroy Sané (£9.4m) kept their places in the attacking line.

Opponents Watford made just one change to the side that lost to Leicester with the suspended Etienne Capoue (£5.1m) replaced by Nathaniel Chalobah (£4.5m).

In the earlier kick-offs David Brooks (£5.1m) returned to the Bournemouth side while Laurent Depoitre (£5.2m) replaced the suspended Steve Mounié (£5.8m) for Huddersfield.

Crystal Palace named an unchanged side from the one which beat Burnley while Glenn Murray (£6.7m) came back in for Brighton.

Finally, Fabian Balbuena (£4.4m) was named on the bench for West Ham while Felipe Anderson (£7.1m) and Marko Arnautovic (£7.2m) both start.

The Line-Ups

Bournemouth XI: Begovic; Daniels, Aké, S Cook, Francis; Fraser, Lerma, L Cook, Brooks; King, Wilson

Huddersfield XI: Lossl, Kongolo, Billing, Zanka, Schindler, Hogg, Hadergjonaj, Durm, Mooy, Pritchard, Depoitre.

Brighton XI: Ryan; Montoya, Duffy, Dunk, Bernardo; March, Pröpper, Bissouma, Izquierdo; Groß; Murray.

Crystal Palace XI: Hennessey; Wan-Bissaka, Tomkins, Sakho, van Aanholt; McArthur, Kouyaté, Milivojevic, Meyer; Townsend, Zaha.

West Ham XI: Fabianski; Antonio, Diop, Ogbonna, Masuaku; Snodgrass, Rice, Noble, Felipe Anderson; Chicharito, Arnautovic.

Cardiff City XI: Etheridge; Ecuele Manga, Morrison, Bamba, Bennett; Gunnarsson; Camarasa, Ralls, Arter, Hoilett; Paterson.

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Stones, Delph, Fernandinho, D. Silva, B. Silva, Sane, Mahrez, Jesus.

Watford XI: Foster; Kiko Femenía, Cathcart, Kabasele, Holebas; Doucouré, Chalobah; Hughes, Pereyra; Deeney, Success.

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