Four players have been substituted into Pep Guardiola's starting lineup for tonight's Barclays Premier League game at Chelsea.
Ilkay Gundogan is called up and named captain, and Kyle Walker, Joao Cancelo, and Phil Foden all make their World Cup comeback debuts.
Immediately following Qatar 2022, Rico Lewis, Manuel Akanji, and Riyad Mahrez who started all three games shift to the bench alongside Jack Grealish.
Guardiola's preferred 4-3-3 formation appears to be used once more as we seek to attack Chelsea at home.
The only issue will be who lines up on the right wing, with Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva both having a chance to fill that position.
However, Rodri might serve as the anchor in the defensive midfield position while the Belgian plays in midfield with Gundogan.
Walker and Cancelo will play either side of John Stones and Nathan Ake in the back four, giving the back four a familiar feel.
Guardiola is thrilled to get Kyle Walker back for his first Premier League game since the Manchester Derby on October 2.
According to Guardiola, City will need to perform nearly flawlessly to catch Premier League leaders Arsenal.
But tonight offers a chance to trim the deficit to just five points after the Gunners were shut out by Newcastle United at home on Tuesday.
It was only the third occasion this year that Mikel Arteta's team failed to earn all three points, which may have given the other teams more motivation to win at Stamford Bridge.
The City players will be eager to reduce that advantage as soon as possible as we pursue a third straight title and sixth in six years because they have to travel to Arsenal in a month.
CITY XI: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Ake, Cancelo, Rodrigo, Gundogan (c), De Bruyne, Bernardo, Foden, Haaland
Subs: Ortega Moreno, Phillips, Grealish, Alvarez, Gomez, Akanji, Mahrez, Palmer, Lewis
CHELSEA XI: Arrizabalaga, Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Koulibaly, Ziyech, Zakaria, Kovacic, Cucurella, Sterling, Havertz, Pulisic
Subs: Bettinelli, Jorginho, Aubameyang, Chalobah, Gallagher, Chukwuemeka, Humphreys, Hutchinson, Hall.
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