Man City vs. Leeds confirmed lineups: Haaland in, Cherki out as Guardiola makes nine changes for Premier League clash

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has made a total of nine changes to his starting lineup for this afternoon’s Premier League clash with Leeds United at the Etihad Stadium.

Citizens supporters expected another raft of changes from the side beaten 2-0 by Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday, and it is indeed the tried-and-trusted who return to Guardiola’s first XI.

Nico Gonzalez and Tijjani Reijnders are the only two players who retain their starting spots and will be joined in midfield by captain Bernardo Silva, who may also drift out onto the right flank.

The Premier League’s top scorer, Erling Haaland, returns to lead the line and will be looking to score his 100th goal in the English top flight, as well as his 15th league goal of the season, against a club for which he has strong feelings after he was born in Leeds during the time his father, Alf-Inge, played for the club.

Haaland will be supported in attack by Phil Foden and in-form Jeremy Doku, meaning that Rayan Cherki is left out of the starting lineup along with Omar Marmoush and Savinho, who all drop down to the substitutes’ bench. Oscar Bobb, meanwhile, is left out of the matchday squad.

Elsewhere, a back four of Matheus Nunes, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and Nico O’Reilly returns to provide protection for goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

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Under-pressure Farke makes five changes to Leeds XI

As for Leeds, under-pressure head coach Daniel Farke - seeking to avoid a fourth straight loss - has made a total of five changes to the side that suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Aston Villa last weekend.

Two of those changes are enforced as midfield duo Sean Longstaff (hamstring) and Anton Stach (concussion) are ruled out, with Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev recalled to link up with Ethan Ampadu in the middle of the pitch.

James Justin comes into defence at the expense of Gabriel Gudmundsson and is set to play at left-back, joining Jayden Bogle, Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk in a four-man backline, protecting Lucas Perri between the sticks.

Daniel James and Willy Gnonto have also been recalled to the first XI and will provide support in attack for ex-Man City youngster Lukas Nmecha, with Noah Okafor and Brenden Aaronson dropping down to the substitutes’ bench.

Manchester City starting lineup: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Gonzalez; Bernardo, Reijnders, Foden, Doku; Haaland

Subs: Trafford, Stones, Ake, Marmoush, Cherki, Ait-Nouri, Savinho, Khusanov, Lewis

Leeds United starting lineup: Perri; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Justin; Tanaka, Ampadu, Gruev; James, Nmecha, Gnonto 

Subs: Meslier, Byram, Gudmundsson, Bijol, Harrison, Aaronson, Okafor, Piroe, Calvert-Lewin