Confirmed lineups: Manchester City vs Chelsea - Zinchenko, Gundogan and Pedro start

Pep Guardiola and Maurizio Sarri have named their lineups for this afternoon’s huge clash between Manchester City and Chelsea, with some shock inclusions in either side.

The hosts make three changes to the team that beat Everton 2-0 in midweek as they aim to reclaim top spot following Liverpool’s convincing win over Bournemouth on Saturday. 

Kevin De Bruyne unsurprisingly returns to the XI having been rested at Goodison Park, with David Silva dropping out, while Raheem Sterling returns at the expense of Leroy Sane.  

Elsewhere Aymeric Laporte returns to his favoured centre-back role, with Oleksandr Zinchenko coming in on the left for only his fourth league appearance of the season and Nicolas Otamendi losing his place for today’s game. The Argentine had ended on the winning side in nine of ten league starts this season but John Stones gets the nod despite City conceding almost twice as many goals per game when the Englishman starts (0.94) compared to the ten matches he hasn't (0.5).

Chelsea, meanwhile, make one change from the 5-0 win over Huddersfield last week, with Gonzalo Higuain continuing to lead the line having opened his account for the Blues last time out.

Pedro is the somewhat surprise inclusion in the side ahead of Willian, though Chelsea have only won four of 11 league matches the Spaniard has not started this season compared to 11 of 14 when he has.

The other big selection dilemma for Sarri was in midfield, with Ross Barkley keeping his place in the side ahead of Mateo Kovacic. The England international is yet to taste defeat for the Blues this season, who have dropped just two points in his eight league starts, though this is only the 25-year-old's second start - and first since August - against a current top-half side.