Ballon d’Or winner Rodri has returned to Manchester City‘s matchday squad for tonight’s Premier League clash against Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium.
The Spanish midfielder has been sidelined for eight months since sustaining an ACL injury in a 2-2 draw with Arsenal in September last year, but he is fit to make the substitutes’ bench this evening after making positive progress in his recovery.
Mateo Kovacic, Nathan Ake and Oscar Bobb have also made a welcome return to Man City’s matchday squad, with the former handed a start after recovering from an injury that forced him to miss Saturday’s FA Cup final defeat to Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium.
Pep Guardiola has made a total of four changes to his starting lineup, with Kovacic, Ederson, Matheus Nunes and Ilkay Gundogan all recalled at the expense of Stefan Ortega, Nico O’Reilly, Jeremy Doku and Savinho.
Nunes will be joined in the back four by Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol, while Kovacic will link arms with Gundogan and Bernardo Silva in the middle of the pitch.
In what represents his final appearance for Man City at the Etihad, soon-to-be-departing club legend Kevin De Bruyne starts as captain and is set to operate in an advanced role alongside Omar Marmoush and Erling Haaland.
Kluvert Araujo return to Bournemouth XI
As for Bournemouth, Andoni Iraola has made two changes to the side that lost 1-0 at home to Aston Villa 10 days ago.
Julian Araujo is recalled at right-back and takes the place of Adam Smith, while Justin Kluivert returns at the expense Alex Scott, who suffered a fractured jaw in the previous match.
Man City-linked Milos Kerkez and Real Madrid’s new summer signing Dean Huijsen both start in defence along with Araujo and Illia Zabarnyi, protecting goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga between the sticks.
Lewis Cook captains the side in midfield next to Tyler Adams, while Kluivert, Marcus Tavernier and Antoine Semenyo will all provide support in attack for central striker Evanilson.
Manchester City starting lineup: Ederson; Nunes, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Gundogan; Bernardo, De Bruyne, Marmoush; Haaland
Subs: Ortega, Ake, Grealish. Doku, Nico, Rodri, Foden, Bobb, O’Reilly
Bournemouth starting lineup: Kepa; Araujo, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Cook, Adams; Tavernier, Kluivert, Semenyo; Evanilson
Subs: Dennis, Senesi, Brooks, Smith, Soler, Jebbison, Silcott-Duberry, Akinmboni, Winterburn
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