West Ham vs. Man City confirmed lineups: Big Haaland, Kovacic decisions as Guardiola makes three changes for Premier League clash

Pep Guardiola has made a total of three to his Manchester City starting lineup for tonight’s Premier League clash against relegation-threatened West Ham United at the London Stadium.

The title-chasing Citizens enter this contest seeking to bounce back from a disappointing 3-0 first-leg defeat away against Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday.

Erling Haaland was starved of service and struggled to make an impact at the Bernabeu, but he has scored more PL goals against West Ham than any other opponent (11) and he will lead the line once again this evening.

Omar Marmoush has been recalled to provide support in attack for both Haaland and Antoine Smeenyo, while Nico O’Reilly – who played at left-back against Real Madrid – has moved back into midfield to link up with Rodri and captain Bernardo Silva.

Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Nunes were both benched in midweek, but they have returned to the first XI to play as full-backs, while Abdukodir Khusanov is preferred to Ruben Dias and will play alongside Marc Guehi at centre-back.

Meanwhile, Man City have been boosted by the news that Mateo Kovacic is fit to return to the substitutes’ bench for the first time in four month. Dias, Jeremy Doku and Savinho – who all started in Madrid – are also on the bench.

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Back five for Nuno’s West Ham as Wan-Bissaka, Castellanos return

As for West Ham, head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has made a total of five changes to the side that beat Brentford on penalties in the FA Cup fifth round last weekend.

Goalkeeper Mads Hermansen is recalled and is set to be protected by a back five including Jean-Clair Todibo, who has retuned to play alongside Konstantinos Mavropanos and Axel Diasi at centre-back.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka ad El Hadji Malick Diouf have returned to begin as wing-backs, while Tomas Soucek and Mateus Fernandes retain their starting spots in midfield.

January signing Valentin Castellanos is another recalled and will provide support in attack for fellow new recruit Pablo Felipe and captain Jarrod Bowen, who netted twice against Brentford last time out.

Alphonse Areola, Kyle Walker-Peters, Mohamadou Kante and Adama Traore have all dropped down to the bench, while Crysencio Summerville is ruled out injured. Oliver Scarles is also absent from the matchday squad.

West Ham United starting lineup: Hermansen; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Disasi, Todibo, Diouf; Soucek, Fernandes; Bowen, Pablo, Castellanos

Subs: Areola, Walker-Peters, Kilman, Wilson, Adama, Magassa, Potts, Kante, Mayers

Manchester City starting lineup: Donnarumma; Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Bernardo, Rodri, O’Reilly; Marmoush, Haaland, Semenyo

Subs: Trafford, Dias, Reijnders, Ake, Kovacic, Cherki, Doku, Gonzalez, Foden