Team News: Riyad Mahrez benched, Kyle Walker returns to Manchester City XI against Tottenham Hotspur

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has made two changes to his starting lineup for Saturday's Premier League encounter with Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium.

After Liverpool won 3-1 against Norwich City earlier today, the Citizens will be looking to move nine points clear at the top of the table with victory against Champions League-chasing Spurs.

City's top goalscorer Riyad Mahrez and John Stones have both dropped out of the starting lineup, with Ilkay Gundogan and former Tottenham man Kyle Walker returning to the side.

Your City XI to take on Tottenham! ⬇️

XI | Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo, Rodrigo, Gundogan (C), Bernardo, Sterling, De Bruyne, Foden

SUBS | Carson, Stones, Ake, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Delap, McAtee, Lavia#ManCity | @HaysTechnology pic.twitter.com/1PXbaD7bJv

— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 19, 2022

Walker missed Tuesday's Champions League win at Sporting Lisbon due to suspension, but the 31-year-old returns at right-back this evening at the expense of Stones, and will join Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte and Joao Cancelo in the back four, shielding Ederson between the sticks.

Rodri will continue as the sole pivot, starting ahead of Fernandinho, with today's captain Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne joining the Spaniard in midfield.

Gundogan's return to the first XI will likely see in-form playmaker Bernardo Silva start in a three-man attack along with Phil Foden and Raheem Sterling, the latter scoring four goals in his last two appearances.

Nathan Ake and Oleksandr Zinchenko, who both started in the 4-0 league win at Norwich last weekend, will begin as substitutes along with academy graduates James McAtee, Romeo Lavia and Liam Delap.