Team News: Raheem Sterling one of three Manchester City players to drop out

Pep Guardiola has made three changes to Manchester City's starting lineup for the the visit of Stoke City to the Etihad Stadium.

Among those to drop out is in-form wideman Raheem Sterling, who misses out on the matchday squad entirely after being given the night off.

David Silva and John Stones both drop down to the bench, meanwhile, with Kevin De Bruyne, Nicolas Otamendi and Jesus Navas being given the nod for a City side looking to climb back into second place this evening.

There had been talk of Vincent Kompany making his latest return to action following two months away, though he is nowhere to be seen, but Leroy Sane is fit and firing in attack after finding the net with each of his last six shots on target.

In terms of the visitors, boss Mark Hughes - who has previously spent 18 months at the Etihad Stadium in a managerial capacity - is forced into making a number of alterations.

The big news is that Saido Berahino is handed a first start for the club since joining in January, while Phil Bardsley, Mame Biram Diouf and Jonathan Walters also come into the side.

Stoke, without a point or even so much as a goal in their last seven visits here, are without Glenn Whelan, Peter Crouch, Glen Johnson and Marko Arnautovic - the latter two missing out on the squad entirely.

Manchester City: Caballero; Sagna, Kolarov, Otamendi, Clichy; Fernandinho, Toure; Navas, De Bruyne, Sane; Aguero Subs: Bravo, Zabaleta, Nolito, Delph, Silva, Stones, Iheanacho

Stoke City: Grant; Bardsley, Shawcross, M. Indi, Pieters; Diouf, Cameron, Allen, Ramadan; Berahino, Walters Subs: Given, Muniesa, Whelan, Afellay, Adam, Imbula, Crouch

Follow all of the action as it unfolds with Sports Mole's live text coverage right here.