With Manchester City’s flawless start to the season, it seems that their squad depth is only getting stronger for the upcoming important matches. Erling Haaland’s stellar performance almost secured a win against Brentford single-handedly, but Pep Guardiola is pleased to have key players like Kyle Walker, John Stones, Ilkay Gundogan back in the starting lineup and Rodri returning as a substitute. Phil Foden’s comeback from illness adds even more depth to the team ahead of the Champions League clash with Inter Milan and the Premier League match against Arsenal. The busy schedule of six games in 18 days before the international break is looming, and Guardiola’s expanding selection of players is a cause for concern for their competitors. Despite Haaland’s remarkable goal-scoring spree, Guardiola is excited about having a wider range of talent at his disposal, including Rodri, who has been out injured since winning the Euros with Spain.
Erling Haaland came close to single-handedly defeating Brentford with two fantastic goals at the Etihad Stadium.
Rodri made a valuable return to the game as a substitute during half-time, providing a much-needed boost for City in preparation for a busy week ahead. Guardiola nodded in agreement at Rodri’s solid performance and emphasized his importance to the team. With upcoming matches against top teams from Italy and Arsenal, Guardiola stressed the need for rotation and adaptation to the demanding schedule.
Meanwhile, City will also be preoccupied with a hearing starting today regarding the club’s alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules. On the other hand, City defender Manuel Akanji may be more immediately concerned about the fixture congestion caused by an expanded Champions League and the upcoming Club World Cup next summer.
Pep Guardiola may be most worried about the congested fixture list. Akanji expressed his concern saying, “It’s really challenging. You have to consider not only this season but also the next. For instance, if we reach the final of the Club World Cup, we could have the Community Shield just three weeks later. When do we get a break? Winter doesn’t offer any respite. If we’re lucky, we might have a two-week break before diving into the next season. It’s never-ending. Some matches need to be removed from the schedule. You can’t just keep piling on games and expect everything to stay the same.”
