Pep Guardiola might have to wait and see how his players return from the international break before selecting his line-up to take on Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.
Manchester City return to action following the two-week pause with a home game against Spurs in the Premier League. They have typically been tough opponents for Guardiola over the years, as highlighted by the 2-1 defeat in North London just three weeks ago.
That was the second match of City’s four-game losing streak prior to the international fixtures, along with defeats against Bournemouth, Sporting Lisbon and Brighton & Hove Albion which inflicted on Guardiola the worst run of his career in England.
Spurs are not the sort of opponents that City will have wanted immediately after the international break, albeit Ange Postecoglou’s side lost to Ipswich Town in their last outing. The champions have lost four of their last eight meetings against Tottenham, who earned a credible 3-3 draw at the Etihad in this fixture last season.
The availability of Guardiola’s squad will go a long way to deciding whether City slip up again this time. Up to 12 players had some form of injury concern hanging over them at the start of the break, a huge factor in the club’s recent run of form.
But with several players returning and news expected imminently on Guardiola’s new contract, there’s already a rejuvenated feeling to the team after a much-needed pause in the campaign. With all that in mind, here’s how we think City will line up this weekend…