)
Pep Guardiola will take on his student Vincent Kompany for a second time with the Premier League champions heavy favourites to record a huge win tonight
Manchester City get the new Premier League season underway on Friday night against Burnley.
The reigning champions will kick off the defence of their crown with a trip to Turf Moor and another meeting with their legendary captain Vincent Kompany.
Second meeting
The two sides faced off in the FA Cup last season and City dealt out a 6-0 drubbing but the Clarets will be looking to make a splash on their return to the top flight.
Pep Guardiola has a fully fit squad to choose from going into the match and that includes new signing Josko Gvardiol. The centre-back didn't arrive in time to take part in last weekend's Community Shield defeat to Arsenal but has settled in nicely over the week.
Gvardiol & Ake boost
In a further boost to the back-line, Nathan Ake is also available. The versatile defender missed the trip to Wembley with an injury but has returned to training and is ready to play.
"Yeah's he's ready," said Guardiola, who also said Gvardiol has settled in 'perfectly'. Before adding on Ake: "He's training good. He's ready too."
There will no doubt be a clamour to see Gvardiol in action against Burnley but it might make sense to let him watch this one from the sidelines.
Burnley aren't the physically imposing side they once were and Gvardiol is certainly big enough to deal with that anyway but given it's a trip Guardiola often likens to a trip to the 'dentist' it might be worth starting a more experienced centre-back pairing.
Predicted line-up
John Stones and Ruben Dias could partner with Kyle Walker and Manuel Akanji to man the full-back slots. If Kevin De Bruyne is fully fit then he has to start and I would select Phil Foden alongside him. He was excellent at Wembley and it's time he finally got his starting role in the middle of the pitch.
The front three should be the typical lineup of Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish.
When and where to watch
The match will kick off at 10pm Kenyan time and will be live on SuperSport TV.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)