Oleks Zinchenko and Phil Foden also start as Pep Guardiola makes three changes to the side that beat Newcastle United on Boxing Day.
Ederson, Ferran Torres, Aymeric Laporte, and Nathan Ake are not in today’s matchday squad, while Gabriel Jesus, Eric Garcia, and Kyle Walker are still self-isolating after testing positive for Coronavirus.
Today’s bench includes teenagers Luke Mbete, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Liam Delap.
Teams
City: Steffen, Cancelo, Zinchenko, Dias, Stones, Rodrigo, Gundogan, De Bruyne (c), Bernardo, Foden, Sterling
Subs: Carson, Aguero, Mendy, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Delap, Harwood-Bellis, Mbete
Chelsea: Mendy, Azpilicueta, Chilwell, Zouma, Thiago Silva, Kovacic, Kanté, Mount, Ziyech, Werner, Pulisic
Subs: Kepa, Rüdiger, Jorginho, Abraham, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi, Gilmour, Havertz, Emerson
Possible formation and tactics
Zinchenko at left-back and Joao Cancelo at right-back will flank the watertight partnership Ruben Dias and John Stones have forged over the past couple of months.
Rodrigo will underpin the midfield trio that incudes skipper Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan.
Phil Foden, Bernardo, and Raheem Sterling will provide our main attacking thrust, no doubt interchanging positions from time to time.
Sergio Aguero is one of eight named subs, along with Luke Mbete who gets a first appearance on the bench.
LUKE MBETE - ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
Huge test for City
The recent Coronavirus outbreak at City robs Pep Guardiola of six first team players at the busiest time on the calendar.
It will limit who Pep can rotate in the coming weeks, with another big test against Manchester United to come on Wednesday.
It seems inevitable that some of our talented youngsters will be called upon against Birmingham next Sunday and by the time we face Brighton on January 13, hopefully, some of our missing stars will be available again.
Back-to-back away games at Chelsea and United would not have been the choice of any clubs denied of so many important players, but as the boss says, there is nothing that can be done other than getting on with the job in hand.
Facts and stats
City are unbeaten in 10 matches in all competitions, winning seven and drawing three.
City could win three consecutive league fixtures for the first time this season.
City have lost three of their past four Premier League games in London, drawing the other.
City have kept 13 clean sheets in all competitions this season, more than any other team in the top five European leagues.
Sergio Aguero has scored 10 goals in his last nine appearances against Chelsea. However, he is currently on a 10-game goalless Premier League run.
City have lost 26 Premier League games versus Chelsea - more than against any other side.
None of the past 10 league meetings have been drawn.
Chelsea have only won one of their past five Premier League matches, taking four points from a possible 15.
Chelsea have failed to win their opening Premier League fixture in each of the past four calendar years.
Timo Werner has gone 11 matches without a goal for Chelsea.
