Man City vs. Brentford confirmed starting lineups: No Khusanov or Rodri, Ouattara benched for Premier League clash

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has made 2 changes to his starting lineup for this evening’s Premier League clash against Brentford astatine the Etihad Stadium.

The Catalan manager was hopeful that Rodri could retrieve from a groin contented that has forced him to miss the past 3 matches, but the Spaniard has not been included successful the Citizens' matchday squad.

Josko Gvardiol is besides absent contempt returning to grooming this week aft much than 3 months retired with a tibial fracture, portion chap defender Abdukodir Khusanov has besides been near retired of the squad due to the fact that helium is 'not afloat fit' to feature.

Nathan Ake has taken the spot of Khusanov astatine the bosom of Man City's defence and volition play alongside Marc Guehi, portion Matheus Nunes and Nico O'Reilly volition proceed arsenic full-backs.

The different alteration made to the City broadside that drew 3-3 with Everton connected Monday sees Nico Gonzalez replaced by Tijjani Reijnders, who is handed his archetypal Premier League commencement since January 24.

Reijnders is acceptable to nexus up with skipper Bernardo Silva and playmaker Rayan Cherki successful midfield, portion Antoine Semenyo and in-form Jeremy Doku volition proceed retired wide, providing enactment successful onslaught for cardinal striker Erling Haaland.

Centre-back Ruben Dias, meanwhile, has returned to the matchday squad and volition statesman arsenic a substitute aft missing the past 7 games with an ankle injury.

Brentford duo Ouattara, Sepp van den Berg benched by Andrews

As for Brentford, caput manager Keith Andrews has made 2 changes to the broadside that won 3-0 astatine location to West Ham United past weekend.

Attacker Dango Ouattara and defender Sepp van den Berg person been replaced by Kristoffer Ajer and Aaron Hickey, the second is starting his archetypal Premier League crippled since the extremity of February.

While Ajer replacing Van den Berg is simply a consecutive swap astatine centre-back, Hickey is expected to commencement astatine let-back, which volition let Keane Lewis-Potter to determination further guardant and run arsenic a winger successful spot of Ouattara.

Kevin Schade keeps his spot connected the other flank, adjacent though helium has not scored a extremity successful his past 8 appearances, portion Mikkel Damsgaard - a goalscorer against West Ham past clip retired - volition proceed successful the fig 10 role.

Igor Thiago, who has scored 22 PL goals this play and is 3 down Haaland successful the Golden Boot race, starts again up front, portion Mathias Jensen and Yehor Yarmoliuk volition proceed their concern successful centre-midfield contempt the instrumentality to fittingness of Jordan Henderson, who is connected the bench.

Manchester City starting lineup: Donnarumma; Nunes, Guehi, Ake, O’Reilly; Bernardo, Reijnders; Semenyo, Cherki, Doku; Haaland

Subs: Trafford, Dias, Stones, Marmoush, Kovacic, Nico, Ait-Nouri, Savinho, Foden

Brentford starting lineup: Kelleher; Kayode, Ajer, Collins, Hickey; Jensen, Yarmoliuk; Lewis-Potter, Damsgaard, Schade; Thiago

Subs: Valdimarsson, Van den Berg, Pinnock, Henderson, Dasilva, Nelson, Ouattara, Janelt, Furo