Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has handed a debut to sole summer signing Jack Rodwell for their season opener against Southampton this afternoon.

Mancini also names an all-Argentinian front two of Sergio Aguero and Caros Tevez, while the defence remains the same as it did for much of last season.

Yaya Toure, David Silva and Samir Nasri make up the midfield as City look to avoid becoming the first defending champions to lose on the first day of the season in the Premier League era.

Meanwhile, for Southampton, there is no place for Rickie Lambert as manager Nigel Adkins hands debuts to Nathaniel Clyne and record signing Jay Rodriguez.

Manchester City: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy; Toure, Rodwell, Silva, Nasri, Aguero; Tevez

Southampton: Davis; Clyne, Fonte, Hooiveld, Fox; Ward-Prowse, Schneiderlin, Lallana; Puncheon, Guly, Rodriguez