Sergio Aguero is on the bench as he hopes for one final fairytale Wembley appearance for Manchester City.
The club’s record goalscorer is in contention for today’s Carabao Cup final against Tottenham after returning to training following a muscular problem, but is among the subs.
In a further boost for the Premier League leaders, playmaker Kevin De Bruyne starts after an ankle injury.
Aguero, who is leaving City when his contract expires at the end of the season, has endured an injury-ravaged campaign.
The 32-year-old has made just six starts this term, mostly due to the after-effects of knee surgery last summer but he has also had other muscle injuries and a month out after contracting Covid-19. He has not featured in a matchday squad for the last four games.
De Bruyne missed the midweek Premier League win at Aston Villa after limping out of last week’s FA Cup semi-final loss to Chelsea but his problem is not as bad as first feared.
Manager Pep Guardiola said: “Both trained (on Friday). It was (Aguero’s) first training session in the last two weeks. Tomorrow (Saturday) is the last training session and after that we’ll decide.”
In De Bruyne’s place, Phil Foden came in and impressed and also starts along with Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez in attack.
Sterling has been pushing for minutes after being left on the bench at Villa Park.
At the back, John Stones is suspended following his red card so Aymeric Laporte should come in to partner Ruben Dias at centre-back.
Joao Cancelo starts at left-back, while Kyle Walker keeps his place on the opposite flank. Zack Steffen, City’s Cup goalkeeper, replaces Ederson.
Man City XI: Steffen, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo, Fernandinho, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Foden, Sterling
Subs: Ederson, Ake, Jesus, Aguero, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, Bernardo, Torres, Mendy
Manchester City squad from: Ederson, Steffen, Walker, Cancelo, Stones, Dias, Laporte, Garcia, Ake, Zinchenko, Mendy, Rodri, Fernandinho, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Sterling, Silva, Foden, Mahrez, Torres, Jesus, Aguero.
