Pep Guardiola has bluntly explained why he dropped £100million star Jack Grealish to the bench for the Manchester derby.

Reigning champions Manchester City travel to Old Trafford to face Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side on Saturday afternoon, but relegated summer signing Grealish to the substitutes for the crucial clash.

He said before the match: ‘We want a left foot on the left side, a right foot on the right side, basically that is the reason why (Grealish is on the bench).

‘This is not the first important game or derby game the players have played in their careers, nor the first time they are here.

‘But it is important to be emotionally stable. The players are professional, they like playing football for this type of game, it is normal.’ 

For City, Gabriel Jesus is likely to play on the right of a front three, with Phil Foden on the left and the recalled Kevin De Bruyne as a false nine, playing centrally.

Elsewhere, the rested Ruben Dias replaced the suspended Aymeric Laporte at centre half, while Kyle Walker was passed fit at right back. 

Solskjaer, meanwhile, made three changes for the match, with Victor Lindelof replacing the injured Raphael Varane in a back three, Fred coming on for the suspended Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford dropping out for Mason Greenwood.