Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Ruben Dias will be absent for Sunday's top-of-the-table Premier League battle with Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium.

The Portuguese defender is still struggling with a hamstring issue and is sitting on one of two occupied tables in the City treatment room, with the other belonging to Cole Palmer (ankle).

Guardiola has no fresh injury concerns to work around, though, and his defensive ranks will be boosted by the return of Kyle Walker from a Champions League suspension.

Walker's return at right-back should see Joao Cancelo return to the left-hand side of the defence, in turn forcing Nathan Ake to take his place on the bench despite a strong showing against Atletico Madrid.

John Stones and Aymeric Laporte will shield Ederson while Dias remains out of action, as Rodri operates just ahead of the defensive quartet in the engine room.

Kevin De Bruyne's spot in the middle is not up for debate, and Bernardo Silva could just edge out Ilkay Gundogan for the third and final spot in the midfield.

Gundogan may be demoted to the substitutes' bench to allow Phil Foden to come back into the side, with the 21-year-old providing the bright spark needed to carve open the Atletico defence in midweek.

Foden could either operate in midfield or at the tip of the attack for City, with ex-Liverpool man Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez likely featuring out wide.

Man City possible starting lineup: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Cancelo; Silva, Rodri, De Bruyne; Mahrez, Foden, Sterling

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