Man City vs West Ham LIVE - Team news confirmed as Rayan Cherki starts and Savinho call made

Manchester City return to Premier League action this afternoon when they host West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola's side head into the game full of confidence after securing their spot in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night with a 2-0 victory over Brentford. That win made it six victories in a row for City and they will be heavy favourites to make it seven today.

The Blues come up against a struggling West Ham side who have not beaten City inside 90 minutes since 2015. Nuno Espirito Santo's side currently occupy the final spot in the relegation zone and have not won since a 3-2 victory over Burnley at the beginning of November.

If City are going to be victorious this afternoon, they will need to do it without seven players. Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri are unavailable due to competing at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Meanwhile, Oscar Bobb, Jeremy Doku, John Stones, Rodri and Mateo Kovacic remain sidelined with injuries. As for West Ham, former Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka is at AFCON so misses the game while Nicklas Fullkrug has returned to training this week but whether he makes the team remains to be seen.

Follow all the updates from the Etihad Stadium throughout the day below...

A show of faith in the academy to have Reigan Heskey join Charlie Gray and Stephen Mfuni from the academy in the squad. There’s a lot of noise over in Trafford about the United academy and most of it isn’t pretty, but here City are trusting in their kids to cover the absences through injury and AFCON of the senior stars.

Here is the visitors' line-up:

Areola, Walker-Peters, Todibo, Kilman, Scarles, Magassa, Potts, Fernandes, Summerville, Paqueta, Bowen

Subs:

Hermansen, Igor,