Ndiaye makes City debut as Foden drops to bench

Iliman Ndiaye will make his Manchester City debut against Coventry City on Saturday, replacing Phil Foden in the starting line-up for the Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium, kick-off 15:00 (UK).

Ndiaye, who joined from Everton, starts on the left side of attack in a 4-2-3-1 system. Foden drops to the bench alongside fellow new signing Enzo Fernández, who is also named as a substitute on his first matchday squad appearance.

Matheus Nunes returns to the squad after missing the previous fixture against Crystal Palace through injury. Summer arrival Ayyoub Bouaddi, who came on as a substitute in the 4-1 win at Selhurst Park, is again among the substitutes.

Manager Enzo Maresca names an otherwise unchanged side from the Crystal Palace victory. Marc Guéhi partners Rúben Dias at centre-back, with Abdukodir Khusanov and Joško Gvardiol at full-back. Elliot Anderson and Nico O'Reilly start in midfield behind Rayan Cherki, with Antoine Semenyo on the right and Erling Haaland through the middle.

Cherki arrives at the fixture in sharp form, having recorded four goal contributions — two goals and two assists — across his opening two Premier League matches this season. Haaland has scored 19 goals in 20 Premier League appearances against newly promoted sides and has found the net against 23 of the 24 opponents he has faced in the competition.

City are unbeaten in their last 30 Premier League games against newly promoted sides, a run stretching back to a 2-1 defeat to Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds in April 2021. They lead the Premier League for successful passes this season with 1,315 and have the highest short-passing ratio in the division at 94.6%.

Coventry, who have lost their opening two fixtures 3-0 against Arsenal and 1-0 against Hull, make their first ever visit to the Etihad Stadium. Manager Frank Lampard has won just four and lost 20 of his last 32 Premier League matches.

City XI: Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias (C), Guéhi, Gvardiol; Anderson, O'Reilly; Ndiaye, Cherki, Semenyo; Haaland. Subs: Rulli, Kovačić, Fernández, Aït-Nouri, Nunes, Bouaddi, Foden, McAidoo, Rico Lewis.

Coventry: Rushworth; van Ewijk, Amenda, Thomas, Pinnock; DaSilva, Onyeka, Grimes; Rudoni, Mason-Clark; Awoniyi. Subs: Bentley, Sakamoto, Yirenkyi, Simms, Tchaouno, Latibeaudiere, Thomas-Asante, Torp, Hamer.