Man City vs. West Ham confirmed lineups: Haaland, Foden return as Guardiola makes seven changes for Premier League clash

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

Guardiola has name a strong side following Wednesday’s 2-0 EFL Cup quarter-final win against Brentford and the same lineup that began the 3-0 victory at Crystal Palace in the Premier League last weekend.

The Premier League’s top scorer Erling Haaland will be looking to add to his 17 goals this season when he leads the line, with the Norwegian supported in attack by in-form playmakers Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki, the latter starts again after netting a spectacular strike against Brentford.

Captain Bernardo Silva is also recalled and is set to link up with midfielders Tijjani Reijnders and Nico Gonzalez, who both retain their starting spots from midweek.

A back four of Matheus Nunes, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and Nico O’Reilly will protect goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, while academy starlets Divine Mukasa, Reigan Heskey, Stephen Mfuni and Charlie Gray are all among the substitutes, the latter of whom made his first senior appearance against Brentford.

Walker-Peters, Scarles, Kilman all start for West Ham

As for West Ham, head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has made a total of three changes to the side that lost 3-2 at home against Aston Villa last weekend.

Two of those changes are enforced as both Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf are away on international duty with Senegal and DR Congo respectively at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Kyle Walker-Peters and Oliver Scarles will both deputise as full-backs, while centre-back Max Kilman is also recalled to start in a four-man defence alongside Jean-Clair Todibo. Konstantinos Mavropanos makes way as a result.

Freddie Potts, Soungoutou Magassa and Mateus Fernandes all retain their starting spots in midfield, the latter of whom scored a 29-second opener in West Ham’s loss to Villa last time out.

Captain Jarrod Bowen - who is celebrating his 29th birthday today - has scored a team-high five goals this season and will start in a fluid three-man attack with Crysencio Summerville and former Man City target Lucas Paqueta.

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

Subs: Trafford, Ake, Savinho, Khusanov, Gray, Mukasa, Lewis, Mfuni, R. Heskey

West Ham United starting lineup: Areola; Walker-Peters, Todibo, Kilman, Scarles; Magassa, Potts, Fernandes; Bowen, Paqueta, Summerville

Subs: Hermansen, Igor, Wilson, Mavropanos, Rodriguez, Soucek, Irving, Kante, Mayers