Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has picked his team to do battle with strugglers Newcastle United at St James’ Park in the Premier League this afternoon.

 

The Citizens thrashed Leeds United 7-0 in midweek league action and boast a one-point lead over second placed Liverpool, who are in action later today at Tottenham Hotspur.

 

 

Manchester City have only won two of their last four trips to face Newcastle and needed a Ferran Torres hat-trick to help them to a 4-3 win on their last visit.

 

For today’s clash, Guardiola has Ederson in goal, while at the back he opts for Joao Cancelo and Oleksandr Zinchenko as full-backs, with Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Dias in the centre.

 

 

In midfield the Manchester City boss plays Rodrigo and Kevin De Bruyne, while Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling support Gabriel Jesus.

 

Guardiola has a host of options on the bench if he wants to make changes, including Jack Grealish and Phil Foden.

 

 

Manchester City Team vs Newcastle United

 

Ederson, Cancelo, Dias (c), Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Mahrez, Jesus, Sterling

 

Substitutes: Steffen, Stones, Ake, Gundogan, Grealish, Fernandinho, Foden, Palmer, Wilson-Esbrand