Foden starts for Manchester City against Atalanta

Phil Foden will start Manchester City’s Champions League Group C match against Atalanta at the Etihad Stadium.

The England Under-21 international’s only previous appearance in a first XI this season came when City beat Preston North End 3-0 in the EFL Cup last month.

Nevertheless, there has been a growing clamour for Pep Guardiola to grant more meaningful minutes to boyhood City fan Foden, 19, who came off the bench to complete the scoring in the 2-0 Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb.

Foden lines up alongside Kevin De Bruyne in an attacking midfield position for the Premier League champions, with Guardiola once more leaving fit-again John Stones on the bench and selecting defensive midfield duo Rodri and Fernandinho at centre-back.

The pair contributed to a clean sheet in a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace last time out, while Kyle Walker returns from a bout of illness at right-back.

Sergio Aguero and Riyad Mahrez bolster Guardiola’s frontline, with Bernardo Silva and Gabriel Jesus dropping to the bench alongside club captain David Silva.

Your team for tonight!

XI | Ederson, Walker, Rodrigo, Fernandinho (C), Mendy, Gundogan, Foden, De Bruyne, Sterling, Mahrez, Aguero

SUBS | Bravo, Stones, Jesus, Bernardo, Silva, Cancelo, Otamendi.

#ManCity pic.twitter.com/GzaKdpKRS3

— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 22, 2019

In contrast to City’s 100 per cent record in the round-robin stage, Serie A entertainers Atalanta are yet to pick up a point and Gian Piero Gasperini has plumped for Josip Ilicic ahead of Luis Muriel in attack, despite the Colombia international netting a brace in Sunday’s dramatic 3-3 draw at Lazio.

Ilicic is likely to feature at the centre of the visitors’ front line as a false nine, with Ruslan Malinovskiy keeping his place out wide.