Max Alleyne reflects on emergency Manchester City return and Watford exit in ‘crazy’ week | OneFootball

Manchester City’s Max Alleyne has opened up on a ‘crazy’ week that saw him make his debut at the Etihad Stadium and score his first goal for the club.

The 20-year-old was re-called by Manchester City last week midway through a season-long loan at Watford in the wake of injuries to centre-half pairing Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias in a 1-1 Premier League draw.

Gvardiol is believed to have undergone surgery over the weekend after suffering a tibial fracture on his right leg and there is a possibility he does not play again this season. Dias is out for another month as he recovers from a hamstring injury.

City are six points adrift of Premier League leaders Arsenal and there remain huge question marks over the Blues’ title prospects in the backdrop of three consecutive draws with Sunderland, Chelsea and Brighton – with Pep Guardiola and co still searching for their opening league triumph of 2026.

Executives at the Etihad Stadium decided to bring Alleyne to Manchester to bolster Guardiola’s depleted backline, with Nathan Ake always unreliable when providing cover and John Stones yet to prove his fitness after suffering a leg injury in early December.

A week into returning to his boyhood club, Alleyne has started twice and is already showing why he has been entrusted with a responsibility as great as filling in for the likes of Dias and Gvardiol at the heart of Guardiola’s defence.

Speaking after scoring his first senior goal for Manchester City in a 10-1 rout of Exeter City in the FA Cup on Saturday, Alleyne reflected on a ‘crazy’ week that saw his loan deal at Watford terminated amid an injury crisis at the Etihad Stadium.

“I’ve really enjoyed it,” said Alleyne, as quoted by the Manchester Evening News. “Last week’s been kind of crazy but I’ve really enjoyed every second I’ve been back and yes, it was good to win today (against Exeter) so that’s the main thing.

“Obviously Wednesday (against Brighton) was disappointing with the result but from my side of things, I think good but can always be better. There are little things that I look at with the coaches and stuff like that. I’m always trying to improve.

“The last week has been crazy. Of course I enjoyed it (at Watford) but this (Manchester City) is the biggest club in the world in my opinion, so when they say you’re coming back, that was it. I enjoyed it and that was that.”

Looking ahead to the remainder of the campaign at Manchester City, Alleyne added: “We’re in every competition and the aim is to win everything. That’s always been my mentality. It was at Watford as well, to win the league and get promoted. So it’s the same thing here, just win as much as possible.”

Manchester City will not want to burden Alleyne’s capable yet young shoulders with too much responsibility and following injuries to Dias and Gvardiol, the Blues have identified Crystal Palace captain and England international Marc Guehi as a priority addition to Guardiola’s backline as the January transfer window progresses.