Villarreal vs. Man City confirmed lineups: Foden, Reijnders benched as Guardiola makes four changes for Champions League clash

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has made a total of four changes to his starting lineup for this evening’s Champions League clash with Villarreal at Estadio de la Ceramica.

Phil Foden, Tijjani Reijnders, Nico O’Reilly and Oscar Bobb have all dropped down to the substitutes’ bench after starting for the Citizens in last weekend’s 2-0 Premier League win over Everton.

Josko Gvardiol, John Stones and Rico Lewis have all been recalled and the latter two are expected to operate in a four-man defence alongside Matheus Nunes and Ruben Dias, protecting goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

With Stones and Gvardiol set to begin at centre-back and left-back respectively, Lewis is in line to start in midfield alongside Nico Gonzalez and captain Bernardo Silva, who also returned to the first XI.

Savinho and Jeremy Doku both retain their places on the flanks and will provide support in attack for goal machine Erling Haaland, who has scored in each of his last 11 appearances for club and country across all competitions, netting three goals in his first two Champions League games this season.

Meanwhile, Rayan Ait-Nouri is fit to make the bench and the left-back could make his first appearance for the Citizens since August after recovering from injury.

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Partey one of seven Villarreal players recalled for Man City clash

As for Villarreal, head coach Marcelino has made a total of seven changes to the side that began the 2-2 draw with Real Betis in La Liga last weekend.

Luiz Junior, whose own goal against Tottenham Hotspur condemned the Yellow Submarine to a 1-0 away defeat on matchday one, returns in goal at the expense of Arnau Tenas.

Santiago Mourino and captain Juan Foyth are recalled to start in a four-man backline alongside former Chelsea defender Renato Veiga and Alfonso Pedraza.

Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is handed a start in centre-midfield next to Santi Comesana, with Dani Parejo making way, while Tajon Buchanan and Pape Gueye are set to operate out wide.

In attack, Gerard Moreno and Tani Oluwaseyi have been replaced by Nicolas Pepe and Georges Mikautadze, who have scored five goals between them in all competitions so far this season.

Villarreal starting lineup: Junior; Mourino, Foyth, Veiga, Pedraza; Buchanan, Partey, Comesana, Gueye; Pepe, Mikautadze

Subs: Conde, Tenas, Altimira, Cardona, Marin, Solomon, Parejo, Akhomach, Moleiro, Moreno, Oluwaseyi, Perez

Manchester City starting lineup: Donnarumma; Nunes, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol; Lewis, Gonzalez, Bernardo; Savinho, Haaland, Doku

Subs: Trafford, Reijnders, Ake, Marmoush, Kovacic, Cherki, Bettinelli, Ait-Nouri, O'Reilly, Foden, Bobb