Phil Foden has been left out of Manchester City's matchday squad for this afternoon's Premier League clash with Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium.

The Citizens were dealt a late injury scare on Friday evening when Guardiola revealed in the embargoed section of his pre-match press conference that Foden had emerged as a doubt.

Foden picked up an injury in the goalless stalemate with rivals Manchester United last weekend and he is 'not fully fit' to feature for Man City against the Eagles.

Guardiola has made a total of three changes to his starting lineup, with academy graduate James McAtee, Rico Lewis and Nico Gonzalez all coming in for Foden, Matheus Nunes and Bernardo Silva, the latter two both reverting to the substitutes' bench.

Right-back Lewis will join Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and Nico O'Reilly in the back four, protecting goalkeeper Ederson, while Gonzalez will link up with Mateo Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan in midfield.

McAtee and captain Kevin De Bruyne could both be deployed in wide areas, providing support in attack for central striker Omar Marmoush, who has scored five goals in as many home league games since joining Man City in January.

© Imago

Richards replaces suspended Guehi in Palace XI

As for Crystal Palace, Oliver Glasner has made just one change to the side that began their 2-1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion last time out, with Chris Richards returning from injury to replace suspended captain Marc Guehi.

Richards is joined in a three-man backline by Jefferson Lerma and Maxence Lacroix, who has passed the required concussion protocols to retain his starting spot.

Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell will continue as wing-backs as Man City-linked Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada partner each other in centre-midfield.

Ismaila Sarr and Eberechi Eze also keep their places in the first XI and will provide support in attack for central striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, who has 13 Premier League goals to his name this season but has not found the net in his last four away matches.

Manchester City starting lineup: Ederson; Lewis, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly; Gonzalez, Kovacic, Gundogan; De Bruyne, McAtee; Marmoush

Subs: Ortega, Grealish, Doku, Bernardo, Reis, Savinho, Nunes, Khusanov, Bobb

Crystal Palace starting lineup: Henderson; Lerma, Richards; Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Sarr, Eze; Mateta

Subs: Matthews, Ward, Franca, Clyne, Hughes, Chilwell, Umeh, Devenny, Kporha

Written by
Oliver Thomas