Kyle Walker and Aymeric Laporte come into the back four, with John Stones and Joao Cancelo moving to the bench.
Fernandinho replaces Rodrigo at the base of midfield, and Gabriel Jesus and Ferran Torres come into the front three in place of Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez.
Kevin De Bruyne and Nathan Ake are both injured, and Sergio Aguero remains unavailable after his positive COVID-19 test.
City
STARTING XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Foden, Torres, Jesus.
SUBS: Steffen, Stones, Sterling, Rodrigo, Mendy, Mahrez, Cancelo, Garcia, Bernabe
Sheffield United
STARTING XI: Ramsdale, Basham, Egan, Ampadu, Baldock, Bogle, Norwood, Lundstram, Fleck, Burke, Brewster
SUBS: Foderingham, McBurnie, Sharp, Mousset, Lowe, Jagielka, McGoldrick, Bryan, Gordon
City tactics
It’s 4-3-3 for City today as we look to make it 12 consecutives victories in all competitions.
The 5-0 win over West Brom provides the blueprint, a game that saw us enjoy 78 percent possession and completely dominate the game. We were superb throughout, and a performance in that vein today will see us take all three points.
Ederson starts in goal, with Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte in front of him. Dias has been a rock this season, with his impact on the side clear, and Laporte’s ability to switch play with his fantastic left-foot is likely to be a feature our play. Kyle Walker and Oleksandr Zinchenko will offer width going forward.
Fernandinho will bring energy to the holding role, allowing the outstanding Ilkay Gundogan freedom to find space in between the lines and pick passes. Bernard Silva completes a midfield three that offers plenty of dynamism.
Phil Foden, brilliant all season, and Ferran Torres will offer support of central striker Gabriel Jesus.
City are looking to make it eight straight league wins and extend our 18-match unbeaten run across all competitions.
It’s a fine run of form, one which has seen us go top of the Premier League table, move into the fifth round of the FA Cup and qualify for our fourth-consecutive Carabao Cup final.
We’ve kept a remarkable 11 clean sheets in the league alone this season, conceding just 13 in our 19 matches thus far.
We’re finding our best form after a somewhat uncertain start, with the win at West Brom one of the most complete performances we’ve produced.
WATCH: Training: City looking to blunt in-form Blades
Match stats
Head-to-head
City are unbeaten in the past 11 home meetings in all competitions since a 3-2 league defeat at Maine Road in October 1987, in which Chris Wilder played the full 90 minutes for Sheffield United.
The Blades have not won any of the nine Premier League meetings, drawing three, losing six and scoring just one goal.
City have kept a clean sheet in each of the past eight home league encounters.
Manchester City
City are vying to win 12 consecutive games in all competitions.
They are unbeaten in 18 matches in all competitions, conceding just four goals.
Manchester City have won seven top-flight games in a row for the first time since August 2019.
City are unbeaten in their past 32 Premier League home fixtures against sides starting the day in the relegation zone, winning 28.
They have conceded just one goal in the 10 league matches in which Ruben Dias and John Stones have started together.
Ilkay Gundogan could become the first German to score in four consecutive Premier League appearances.
Sheffield United
Sheffield United have won two of their past three Premier League games, having won none of their previous 20.
The Blades have scored four goals in those three matches, as many as they had in their previous nine.
They have won four of their five most recent fixtures in all competitions.
Chris Wilder’s side are aiming to win away at both Manchester clubs in the same top-flight season for the first time since 1973-74.
John Egan could make his 100th league appearance for Sheffield United.
David McGoldrick has scored five of Sheffield United’s 12 Premier League goals this season.
