Man City vs Sheffield United LIVE: Premier League latest score and updates as Rodri puts hosts ahead

Manchester City can get their Premier League campaign back on track when they host Sheffield United at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon.

A few missed opportunities have slipped by Pep Guradiola’s men and dropped points sees them enter the weekend’s fixtures fourth in the table. They are five points behind leaders Liverpool but have a game in hand after skipping a gameweek to go to Saudi Arabia and win the Club World Cup.

Attempting to stop them today are Sheffield United are in desperate need of points. The Blades are rock bottom and are seven points away from safety. Chris Wilder has been brought back in to manage the team but he’s got a mammoth task on his hands against the Premier League champions today.

Follow the latest action from the Premier League below:

Manchester City vs Sheffield United LIVE: Premier League updates

• Man City host Sheffield United in the Premier League

• Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol, Rodrigo, Kovacic, Bernardo, Foden, Grealish, Alvarez

• Sheffield United XI: Foderingham, Bogle, Baldock, Trusty, Robinson, Thomas, Norwood, Souza, Slimane, Osula, Brooks

• 14’ GOAL! - Rodri sends City ahead (MCI 1-0 SHU)

Manchester City FC 1 - 0 Sheffield United FC

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:59

City dominated the first half, having 82 per cent of the possession, but for all of that, they barely tested Foderingham. They've struggled to break the Blades down, but Guardiola will be keen on not giving up another lead at home - they'll up the pressure. United's low block has frustrated their hosts at times, but their game plan has worked for the most part. They do need to take more risks if they want to get back into this game though.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:54

Rodri's goal gives City a 1-0 lead at half-time over Sheff United. It was a great start for the hosts, with Rodri putting them in front in the 14th minute - he struck it sweetly from just outside the box, picking out the far bottom corner. Alvarez came close a couple of times, with Foderingham also making a good save to deny Silva. United grew into the game as it went on, with Osula having two good chances towards the end, with Akanji and Ederson keeping him out.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:48

HALF-TIME: MANCHESTER CITY 1-0 SHEFFIELD UNITED.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:47

Norwood's corner is half-cleared at the near post, but it's brought down by Bogle just inside the box. He decides to take on the shot himself instead of recycling it, but he curls it straight at Ederson.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:45

Yellow Card Mateo Kovačić

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:45

SAVE! It's a good delivery from the resulting corner, and it's Osula that rises highest in the middle to get on the end of the cross. He glances a looping header towards the far post, but Ederson stretches to catch it.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:44

BLOCK! United have a rare chance to get forward, with Bogle finding a lot of space down the right. He curls a good cross into the box which Osula meets first time, but Akanji is in front of him to poke it out for a corner.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:42

Baldock can't believe a foul has been given against him in the centre circle, and Ake takes the resulting free-kick quickly, spreading it out to Walker on the right. A heavy touch shows too much to Thomas, who is fouled shielding it from the right-back.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:39

Silva caught Robinson on the ball, but before he could carry it into the box, he was dispossessed by Souza. City are claiming they should've had a free-kick, and Guardiola's protests from the touchline result in him being booked.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:37

Rodri's run is blocked off by Souza and City win a free-kick on the left. Silva clips it towards the far post where Rodri manages to flick it on towards Akanji, but the offside flag goes up against him.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:35

Corner number four for City is taken short by Silva to Alvarez, who spins before drilling a low cross into the six-yard box. It's too close to Foderingham though, and the keeper holds onto it.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:34

Bogle thinks he has the chance to break when he's bundled over by Gvardiol, and he isn't happy that he doesn't at least get a free-kick for his trouble. The hosts stay camped in their opponents half.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:32

City are forced to go back to Ederson, but when he knocks it to Akanji, he tries to get his side straight back into the final third. He goes long for Silva, but the winger is caught on his heels and Foderingham is able to collect.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:30

The Blades have had 14 per cent possession so far in this game, and they're in no hurry to try and increase that. They're happy to sit back, limiting City to long-range shots when they do decide to have a go.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:28

Brooks makes a half-hearted attempt to press Walker, but it's too late as the right-back threads a wonderful pass into the box for Foden to chase. Trusty is alert though and just manages to shield the ball back to his goalkeeper.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:25

Foden is causing United a lot of problems at the moments and he drags two defenders with him as he runs along the edge of the box. He looks to Grealish in space, but his cross is comfortably cleared again.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:24

GOOD SAVE! Foden plays a lovely throughball into the box for Silva, who makes a clever run off the back of Trusty. The angle is against him, but he tries to drill it into the far post. Foderingham gets fingertips to it to help it wide.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:22

Gvardiol makes a good run forward this time before switching it out to Grealish on the wing. He's under no pressure, but the Blades comfortably deal with his cross into the box.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:20

United are struggling to get a touch on the ball at the moment, so are dropping deeper into their own box to make life harder for City. Grealish and Kovacic both try to play it into the area, but they can't pick out a blue shirt.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:18

CHANCE! City aren't ready to let up the pressure despite breaking the deadlock, and Silva spins away from Thomas down the right to lift in a great cross from the right. Alvarez meets it, but his header loops wide of the far top corner.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:16

Goal Rodrigo Hernández Cascante

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:15

Grealish has options ahead of him in the box, but can't pick out Foden or Alvarez with his reverse pass. Baldock hooks it clear and it almost turns out to be a good pass for Bogle, but Ake gets back in time to stop him from reaching it.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:13

City are patiently trying to open up some space in behind, and it looks like Ake has cracked it as he makes a driving run through the middle before sliding in Foden. Instead of turning to goal, he looks for the Dutchman again, but only picks out Robinson.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:11

Sheffield United have never scored in five Premier League away games against City - only Birmingham City (seven against Manchester United) have visited a side more without ever scoring in the competition.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:10

Again, City get a little sloppy in midfield and Osula has a chance to run at the defence. He makes a weaving run past three players, but Walker reads it well when the forward tries to spread it out to Brooks.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:07

CHANCE! Kovacic's loose pass gifts the ball to Sheff United and Ben Slimane picks out Norwood's run down the right. He whips a cross in which has Ederson scrambling - the keeper ends up behind his line, but manages to hold the ball out to prevent a shock goal.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:05

WIDE! It's City with all of the early possession here, and they find a way through down the left. Gvardiol clips it forward to Foden, who cushions it down for Alvarez, but he fizzes his first-time shot wide of the far post.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:02

Osula gets the game under way for United!

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

15:01

The teams are out on the pitch now, with kick-off just moments away!

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

14:58

Wilder makes five changes from their defeat at Luton last time out, which also sees the Blades swap to a back three. Bogle is back from a ban to start, with Norwood, Thomas, Ben Slimane and Osula also coming in. McBurnie and Archer drop to the bench. Anel Ahmedhodzic and Gustavo Hamer are both suspended for an accumulation of yellow cards, while James McAtee is ineligible against his parent club.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

14:54

Guardiola makes just two changes to the side that beat Everton in midweek. Gvardiol and Kovacic are both brought in, with the former's inclusion meaning Ake will move to centre-back. Nunes is on the bench, while John Stones is out with an ankle injury. They are boosted by the return of De Bruyne among the substitutes after a hamstring injury, with Dias also included after illness.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

14:50

SHEFFIELD UNITED SUBS: Ben Osborn, Benie Troare, Yasser Larouci, Rhian Brewster, Adam Davies, Femi Seriki, Oliver McBurnie, Cameron Archer, Rhys Norrington-Davies.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

14:50

SHEFFIELD UNITED STARTING XI (3-4-2-1): Wes Foderingham; George Baldock, Jack Robinson, Auston Trusty; Jayden Bogle, Vinicius Souza, Oliver Norwood, Luke Thomas; Anis Ben Slimane, Andre Brooks; William Osula.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

14:46

MANCHESTER CITY SUBS: Oscar Bobb, Kalvin Phillips, Ruben Dias, Sergio Gomez, Micah Hamilton, Matheus Nunes, Rico Lewis, Kevin De Bruyne, Stefan Ortega.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

14:42

MANCHESTER CITY STARTING XI (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Kyle Walker, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake, Josko Gvardiol; Mateo Kovacic, Rodri; Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish; Julian Alvarez.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

14:38

Since Chris Wilder came back to the club, United have managed to sure-up a bit more defensively, but they're still struggling to get points on the board. They've won just one of their five games since he took charge (a 1-0 victory at home over Brentford), drawing one and losing three of the other four - one of those defeats came in midweek as they gave up a lead against Luton Town, scoring two own goals to help the Hatters win 3-2. The Blades currently sit seven points from safety, but history isn't on their side to close that gap as they've never beaten City in the Premier League (D3 L8).

Man City vs Sheffield United line-ups

14:35 , Mike Jones

Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol, Rodrigo, Kovacic, Bernardo, Foden, Grealish, Alvarez

Subs: Ortega Moreno, Dias, Phillips, De Bruyne, Gomez, Nunes, Bobb, Lewis, Hamilton

Sheffield United XI: Foderingham, Bogle, Baldock, Trusty, Robinson, Thomas, Norwood, Souza, Slimane, Osula, Brooks

Subs: Davies, Larouci, Norrington-Davies, Seriki, Osborn, Brewster, McBurnie, Archer, Traore

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

14:34

City's return to Premier League action following their Club World Cup success saw them return to winning ways in the league as they came from behind to beat Everton 3-1 on Wednesday. They're currently unbeaten in their last six outings in all competitions (W5 D1), and another win here would move them to just two points behind current leaders Liverpool. They've struggled at home in the Premier League recently, giving up leads in each of their last three games at the Eithad to draw with Liverpool, Tottenham and Crystal Palace, which is something Pep Guardiola will want to avoid happening again today.

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

14:34

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Premier League meeting between Manchester City and Sheffield United at the Etihad Stadium!

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

14:00

Follow all the goals and latest action from the Premier League here with The Independent. Team news and line-ups coming up shortly…