RAHEEM STERLING and Sergio Aguero have been recalled to Manchester City’s starting 11 to face Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup final.
The forwards watched from the Bernabeu bench on Wednesday as Pep Guardiola started Gabriel Jesus operating out wide with Kevin de Bruyne and Bernardo Silva as a pair of false No9.
TEAM NEWS IS IN!
XI | Bravo, Walker, Stones, Fernandinho, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, Gundogan, Foden, D Silva (C), Sterling, Aguero.
SUBS | Ederson, G Jesus, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Mendy, Mahrez, Otamendi.
@HaysWorldwide
#ManCity #CarabaoCup pic.twitter.com/kH4Crx2TC9
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 1, 2020
After an hour, and at 1-0 down to Real Madrid, England forward Sterling came on to turn the tie on its head as Jesus headed an equaliser and De Bruyne converted a penalty – which was won by City’s No7.
Sterling – his club’s top scorer in the tournament – starts on the wing today with Phil Foden given his chance to shine alongside midfielders David Silva, Rodri and Ilkay Gundogan.
Foden has made just nine starts this season, with three of them coming in the League Cup.
The youngster was dropped for the semi-finals against Manchester United, however.
And he wasn’t even included on the bench for the second-leg at the Etihad Stadium.
In defence John Stones partners makeshift centre-back Fernandinho, who came on in Madrid after Aymeric Laporte hobbled off injured.
City are attempting to win their THIRD consecutive league cup, having beat Chelsea on penalties last year and Arsenal the season before that.
This is your Aston Villa team to face Manchester City in the #CarabaoCupFinal.
#AVFC pic.twitter.com/u9DcT4zJ6S
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) March 1, 2020
Guardiola said: “Being there again is a great achievement. Hopefully for the fans we can win it. The result the last day is past and we focus on the final. It is a different competition with a historic team.”
“It’s better to go play a final after a good result in Madrid but we cannot live a final thinking how good we were. Madrid is not done. I have thought that it is difficult to win at big clubs but it is challenging to beat them twice.
“Big clubs can lose one game but two? It does not come often. But it helps us so football is about emotion and it is better to play a final with the character.”
For Villa semi-final hero Mahmoud Trezeguet – who netted a last-gasp winner against Leicester – is benched with Dean Smith selecting a five-man midfield.
In the most advanced role is skipper Jack Grealish, expected to play just behind striker winter signing Mbwana Samatta.
With just two goals playmaker Grealish is Villa’s top scorer in the cup.
