Aston Villa vs. Man City confirmed lineups: Nico Gonzalez decision made as Unai Emery makes six changes

Manchester City midfielder Nico Gonzalez is fit to make the substitutes’ bench for this afternoon’s Premier League clash against Aston Villa at Villa Park.

The Spaniard hobbled off with a ‘knock to his feet’ in the second half of the Citizens’ 2-0 Champions League win over Villarreal on Tuesday.

Although Gonzalez remains in Pep Guardiola’s matchday squad, he has been removed from the starting lineup along with Rico Lewis and Jeremy Doku.

Tijjani Reijnders and Phil Foden have both been recalled in midfield and the former is expected to take the role of Gonzalez by operating in a deep-lying role alongside captain Bernardo Silva, while Foden drifts further forward.

A back four of Matheus Nunes, John Stones, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol remains intact, protecting goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, while the likes of Lewis, Nico O’Reilly and Nathan Ake will all begin as substitutes, though Rayan Ait-Nouri is left out of Guardiola’s squad.

Along with Reijnders and Foden, Oscar Bobb returns to Man City’s starting lineup for the first time in three weeks and he is set to play on the right flank, with Savinho moving over to the left, while in-form goal machine Erling Haaland continues to lead the line.

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Buendia, Rogers among six players to return to Aston Villa XI

As for Aston Villa, head coach Unai Emery has made a total of six changes to the side that began the disappointing 2-1 defeat away against Go Ahead Eagles in the Europa League on Thursday.

Victor Lindelof, Tyrone Mings, Ian Maatsen, Jadon Sancho and Evann Guessand have all dropped out of the starting lineup.

Full-backs Matty Cash and Lucas Digne have both been recalled along with Ezri Konsa, who will play alongside Pau Torres at centre-back, while Emiliano Martinez will continue in goal.

Amadou Onana is joined in centre-midfield by captain John McGinn and Boubacar Kamara, while Emiliano Buendia and Morgan Rogers - once on the books at Man City - return in attack to provide support for Ollie Watkins up front.

Buendia has been rewarded with a start after making an impact off the bench in recent matches; no Premier League player has more goals and assists combined as a substitute than Villa’s No.10 so far this season (two goals, one assist).

Aston Villa starting lineup: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; McGinn, Onana, Kamara; Rogers, Watkins, Buendia

Subs: Bizot, Lindelof, Maatsen, Mings, Bogarde, Barkley, Sancho, Guessand, Malen

Manchester City starting lineup: Donnarumma; Nunes, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol; Reijnders, Bernardo; Bobb, Foden, Savinho; Haaland

Subs: Trafford, Ake, Marmoush, Kovacic, Cherki, Doku, Gonzalez, O'Reilly, Lewis