Pep Guardiola has named a strong Manchester City side for the Community Shield at Wembley.

The Blues face Chelsea in the 2018/19 season curtain-raiser with no fewer than six of our World Cup stars in the starting XI.

Kyle Walker, John Stones, Benjamin Mendy, Fernandinho, Bernardo Silva and Sergio Aguero are all fit and raring to go on a glorious day at the national stadium.

Danilo is injured, David Silva, Fabian Delph and Jason Denayer aren’t fully fit and Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne have been given further time to recover from their World Cup exertions.

READ: Chelsea v City | Injury update

READ: Media Watch | Cox hails “revolutionary” Guardiola

READ: Community Shield | Talking Points

City team

Starting XI: Bravo; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Mendy; Fernandinho, Foden, Sane, Bernardo, Mahrez; Aguero

Subs: Ederson, Kompany, Gundogan, Otamendi, Jesus, Diaz, Gomes

Chelsea XI

Tactics

Having played with three defenders for much of preseason, it appears Guardiola has reverted to the four-man defence he utilised for the majority of the last campaign.

Claudio Bravo will be protected by a back four of Walker, Stones, Aymeric Laporte and Mendy, with Fernandinho and Phil Foden playing in central midfield. The Brazilian, of course, will anchor, while Foden will be expected to keep City’s play fluid. 

Leroy Sane and Riyad Mahrez will offer width, leaving Bernardo to drift inside and support Aguero, who leads the line. That front four will, as ever, be interchangeable.

City will look to dominate the ball and play on the front foot, but so will Chelsea, who are now under the guidance of the expansive, attack-minded Maurizio Sarri.

Today is probably more about fitness and fine-tuning than results and performance – but expect an entertaining encounter.

Stats and milestones

Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero has scored five goals in his past five appearances against Chelsea, including a hat-trick in April 2016.

The Argentine is one goal away from reaching 200 for the Club.

City last lifted the Community Shield in 2012, defeating Chelsea 3-2 in a fixture played at Villa Park.

Chelsea are looking to win the Community Shield for the first time since 2009, when they beat Manchester United 4-1 on penalties.

This will be the third meeting between Chelsea and City at Wembley, with City winning the most recent one in April 2013 (2-1 in the FA Cup semi-final).

Chelsea have lost each of their past two games against City - they haven’t lost three in succession against them since September 2010.

The past four editions of the Community Shield have been won by the FA Cup winners, with Manchester United in 2013 the last reigning league champions to do so.

City have won their past two matches at Wembley, both in 2017-18 - beating Spurs 3-1 in April and Arsenal 3-0 in the League Cup final in February. They haven’t won three consecutive matches at Wembley since March 1970.