Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and John Stones all come into Manchester City's starting XI as Pep Guardiola makes four changes for the visit of Leeds United.

The returning quartet replace Ilkay Gundogan, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling, who drop to the bench and Joao Cancelo, who is suspended after collecting five yellow cards this term.

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Kyle Walker is short of full fitness and also misses out alongside long-term absentee Ferran Torres, which means there is no recognised right-back in the XI.

Eighteen-year-old CJ Egan-Riley has been drafted in as a substitute to provide cover in that role and he is one of three youngsters in the matchday squad, with Cole Palmer and Joshua Wilson-Esbrand also named on the bench.

TEAMS

CITY: Ederson, Dias (C), Stones, Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Mahrez, Foden, Grealish.

SUBS: Steffen, Ake, Sterling, Gundogan, Jesus, Fernandinho, Egan-Riley, Palmer, Wilson-Esbrand.

LEEDS: Meslier, Dallas, Ayling, Llorente, Firpo, Shackleton, Forshaw, Harrison, Raphinha, Roberts, James

SUBS: Klaesson, Gelhardt, Cresswell, Drameh, Summerville, Greenwood, Klich, McCarron, Jenkins.

Formation

It’s often difficult to predict how City will line-up and that’s the case this evening due to the absence of Cancelo and Walker.

With no recognised right-back, Guardiola may stick with a back four, in which case you would expect Stones or Ruben Dias to fill in there, or, the boss could elect to go with a three-man defence. 

Stones, Dias and Aymeric Laporte would form the rearguard trio, with Oleksandr Zinchenko at left wing back, though it’s unclear who would be deployed in the same role on the opposite flank.

In midfield, Rodrigo seems certain to adopt his usual anchorman role, whilst De Bruyne is also likely to play centrally. 

Mahrez and Foden could both start in the attacking trident, alongside Jack Grealish, which would leave the in form Bernardo Silva as the man to fill in at right wing back should Guardiola choose to go with a three-man defence.

As always, and perhaps more so than usual, we’ll have to wait until kick-off to see how City line up.

Stats and facts

  • Victory on Tuesday would ensure we equal Liverpool’s top-flight record of 33 wins in a calendar year, set in 1982.
  • City are unbeaten in 14 Premier League home matches played on a Tuesday since losing to Blackburn at Maine Road in August 1993 (W10, D4).
  • We have scored 499 goals in 206 Premier League games under Pep Guardiola. The fewest matches any team has taken to score 500 under one manager is 234, set by Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp.
  • Manchester City are winless in four Premier League games against Leeds since a 2-1 home victory under Kevin Keegan in January 2003 (D2, L2).
  • Leeds, who won the corresponding fixture 2-1 last season, could earn consecutive away league victories against Manchester City for the first time in 34 years.