Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has made just two changes to his starting lineup for tonight's Premier League clash with top-five rivals Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium.

Mateo Kovacic was on the scoresheet in City's 2-0 win at Everton last weekend and he has been recalled along with James McAtee, with Nico Gonzalez and Savinho dropping down to the substitutes' bench.

While Ederson remains sidelined through injury, Stefan Ortega continues in goal and is protected by an unchanged back four of Matheus Nunes, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and Nico O'Reilly.

Kovacic will link up with Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva in centre-midfield, while McAtee and captain Kevin De Bruyne are set to provide support in attack for Omar Marmoush.

Meanwhile, both Phil Foden and former Aston Villa man Jack Grealish were pushing for a recall this evening, but they will once again have to settle for a place on the substitutes' bench.

© Imago

Rashford returns as one of five changes to Emery's XI

As for Aston Villa, Unai Emery has made a total of five changes to the side that secure an impressive 4-1 victory over Newcastle United last weekend.

The most notable change sees Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford return to start up front at the expense of Ollie Watkins, who drops down to the substitutes' bench.

Lucas Digne, Pau Torres, Amadou Onana and Jacob Ramsey are also restored to Villa's lineup, with Ian Maatsen, John McGinn, Marco Asensio and Tyrone Mings all making way, the latter of whom is absent from the matchday squad.

Protecting Emiliano Martinez in goal, Digne and Torres will start alongside Ezri Konsa and Matty Cash in defence, while Youri Tielemans will make his 50th appearance of the season in all competitions alongside Onana and Boubacar Kamara in midfield.

Ramsey and former Man City man Morgan Rogers are both tasked with providing support in attack for Rashford, who has scored three of his six goals against the Citizens at the Etihad.

Manchester City starting lineup: Ortega; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly; Kovacic, Gundogan, Bernardo; McAtee, Marmoush, De Bruyne

Subs: Carson, Grealish, Doku, Nico, Akanji, Savinho, Khusanov, Foden, Lewis

Aston Villa starting lineup: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans, Onana; Rogers, Ramsey; Rashford

Subs: Olsen, Barkley, Disasi, Garcia, Malen, McGinn, Watkins, Asensio, Maatsen

Written by
Oliver Thomas