Competition for positions is brewing at Manchester City | OneFootball

Manchester City beat Burnley 5-1 yesterday at the Etihad Stadium. They entered yesterday’s match with Rodri, Abdukodir Khusanov, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki and Omar Marmoush unavailable due to injury. Each player is expected back in the immediate future. Looking at Pep Guardiola’s squad it is clear that competition is brewing for positions in the City starting eleven. That is exactly what Pep Guardiola wants as competition for places will raise Manchester City’s levels of play.

Several Manchester City players have seized the opportunity that injuries have offered them.

With players such as Omar Marmoush,  Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki and Abdukodir Khusanov and Rodri unavailable for yesterday’s and across City’s previous four matches it has allowed other players to make an impression. Players such as Jeremy Doku, Nico O’Reilly, Matheus Nunes and even Nico yesterday have had the opportunity to start important matches. That opportunity may not have been available if Marmoush, Ait-Nouri, Cherki, Rodri and Khusanov had been available for selection. Each player has seized the opportunity on offer. That is a credit to each of them and highlights the quality in Pep Guardiola’s squad.

Nico O’Reilly has now made the left-back spot his own. He offers a physicality and presence to the role that Rayan Ait-Nouri does not. Jeremy Doku had the opportunity with Omar Marmoush’s knee injury to make an impression. He has more than done that. Doku is almost Pep Guardiola’s first chose on the left wing as things stand currently. Nico and Matheus Nunes filled in for Rodri and Abdukodir Khusanov yesterday. They both played well and showed what they can offer Pep Guardiola’s side.

With competition for spots coming it will raise the level of Pep Guardiola’s squad.

On the horizon as Manchester City extended their unbeaten run to five games in all competitions yesterday against Burnley, is the fact that Omar Marmoush, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki and Rodri are all expected back from injury in the coming weeks. Each player has a key role to play for Pep Guardiola’s side. They all will bring their own strengths to the positions that they play for City. In the case of Marmoush, Cherki, Khusanov and Ait-Nouri they will need time to recover from injury lay-offs. Rodri is hopefully back on the pitch for Manchester City in their next match against AS Monaco in the UEFA Champions League. Outside of Rodri, each player will need to meet the level of their competition for a spot in Manchester City’s starting eleven. That is exactly what Pep Guardiola wants and requires of his players.

Competition is brewing for spot in the Manchester City starting eleven. The returns of Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov and Rodri from injury will create this. That is exactly what City need and it will lift the level of Pep Guardiola’s side. As the 25/26 season enters a crucial period, City appear to have a squad ready to fight for places. That is a good position for them to be in going forward.