Silva, Dzeko and Wright-Phillips highlight Manchester City’s roster

English FA Cup winners and English Premier League giants Manchester City FC have announced their provisional travel roster for their 2011 North American Tour as part of the Herbalife World Football Challenge 2011. This includes the international match against Major League Soccer’s Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Bell Pitch at Empire Field on Monday, July 18, at 7 p.m. PT.

"Manchester City is currently preparing for an important upcoming season, which will include the UEFA Champions League, and have brought an amazing collection of top internationals," said Whitecaps FC president Bob Lenarduzzi. "Great seats are still available for what I anticipate will be a highly entertaining match in Vancouver next Monday."

The newly-crowned FA Cup winners field an impressive squad bolstered by English internationals Gareth Barry, Joe Hart, James Milner, and Shaun Wright-Phillips, as well as Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko, Italian striker Mario Balotelli, Spanish midfielder David Silva, Dutch midfielder Nigel De Jong, and German defender Jérôme Boateng.

Manchester City 2011 North American Tour Roster

GOALKEEPERS: Joe Hart (ENG), Stuart Taylor (ENG), Eirik Johansen (NOR), Loris Karius (GER)

DEFENDERS: Micah Richards (ENG), Jérôme Boateng (GER), Vincent Kompany (BEL), Joleon Lescott (ENG), Dedryck Boyata (BEL), Gaël Clichy (FRA), Aleksandar Kolarov (SRB), Stefan Savic (MNE), Frederic Veseli (SUI)

MIDFIELDERS: Shaun Wright-Phillips (ENG), Vladimir Weiss (SVK), James Milner (ENG), Gareth Barry (ENG), Yaya Touré (CIV), Nigel De Jong (NED), David Silva (ESP), Adam Johnson (ENG)

FORWARDS: Mario Balotelli (ITA), Edin Dzeko (BIH), Andrea Mancini (ITA), Denis Suarez (SPA), Ryan McGivern (NIR), John Guidetti (SWE)

In accordance with Herbalife World Football Challenge tournament requirements, Bell Pitch will have a new look, as 90,000 square feet of temporary grass sod installation begins today at Empire Field. Prior to the July 18 international match, Whitecaps FC will play on the grass pitch for the club’s 1 p.m. PT tilt against Real Salt Lake on Saturday, July 16.