Kevin De Bruyne will make his first start of the season in Manchester City's Champions League group stage opener against RB Leipzig this evening.

The Belgian midfielder makes his return from injury after a three-game absence as Pep Guardiola makes four changes on what will be his 300th game in charge of the Club.

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Nathan Ake, Riyad Mahrez and Oleksandr Zinchenko, who is also making his first start of the campaign, also come into the starting XI, which will be captained by Ruben Dias.

Fit again Phil Foden is among the substitutes having returned to the matchday squad for the 1-0 victory over Leicester City on Saturday, with the young trio of Cieran Slicker, Romeo Lavia and Cole Palmer also on the bench.

John Stones and Aymeric Laporte both miss out due to injury.

TEAMS

CITY: Ederson, Cancelo, Dias (C), Ake, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Mahrez, Grealish, Torres.

SUBS: Carson, Slicker, Walker, Sterling, Gundogan, Jesus, Fernandinho, Foden, Palmer, Lavia.

LEIPZIG: Gulacsi (C), Klostermann, Orban, Mukiele, Angelino, Laimer, Adams, Olmo, Forsberg, Nkunku, Andre Silva.

SUBS: Martinez, Simakan, Haidara, Poulsen, Szoboszlai, Brobbey, Moriba, Gvardiol, Henrichs, Kampl.

Formation

4-3-3 has been the preferred system for Guardiola in recent weeks and whilst this is the first time in three games that he has made changes to the starting XI, it looks as if he’ll be sticking with the same formation.

Joao Cancelo will revert to right-back after being deployed on the opposite side against Leicester and he’ll be alongside Ake, Dias and Zinchenko in the back four.

Rodrigo will be in his customary defensive midfield position, with De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva just ahead of him behind a front three of Mahrez, Jack Grealish and centre-forward, Ferran Torres.

MATCH FACTS AND STATS

  • A win would see  City become the fastest English side to win 50 games in the Champions League.
  • Pep Guardiola is taking charge of his 300th match as City boss.
  • Ederson is making his 50th appearance in the Champions League.
  • Should he come off the bench, Gabriel Jesus will make his 200th appearance for the Club.
  • If we score tonight it would be a 100th goal at home in the Champions League.
  • City’s 11 goals this season have been scored by nine different players, with only Ferran Torres – who got two against Arsenal – finding the net more than once.