Manchester City face a big week as they play Juventus, before hosting rivals Manchester United where they’ll be aiming to get back on track.
City have endured a turbulent start this season, breaking losing streaks Pep Guardiola would never have thought could happen to him, while sitting fourth in the league.
City’s problems have mainly been the aftermath of what is now clearly their most important player, Rodri’s anterior cruciate ligament injury, which is set to keep him out until the end of the season.
In addition, Kevin De Bruyne has also missed a number of games due to injury with new summer signings struggling to get to grips with Guardiola’s demands.
However, the Spanish boss has been given a huge boost ahead of the two games with last season’s PFA Players Player of the Year Phil Foden and Mateo Kovacic set to return to the side from injury.
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Like De Bruyne, Foden has also been sidelined for a while with injuries, reducing City’s creative spark to almost zero, with Matheus Nunes being used as a make-shift left winger, while Rico Lewis, despite his qualities in possession, has been tasked as one of those to go and win City a match. It’s no surprise Erling Haaland’s numbers have slightly dropped but remain ridiculous.
Kovacic is a great option for Guardiola in midfield, bringing stability and control to a shaken side, and though City have no profile in the squad who can play the Rodri role, Kovacic possesses traits that can see him operate deep in midfield.
The return of two important players will somewhat give City the chance to play the football we have been so used to seeing them play since Guardiola arrived in 2016.
Kovacic’s arrival could see him partner with Ilkay Gundogan in midfield, though the German international has looked a shadow of himself since returning to the club after just one season at Barcelona.
Barca’s decision to allow Gundogan to leave sent shockwaves across the football world, while many believed the 34-year-old linking up with Guardiola again could be the difference in winning a fifth consecutive league title. Things have not played out as expected, however.
Gundogan looks well off the pace, and maybe Hansi Flick was correct in allowing him to leave the Catalan club after all. Flick has prioritised youth in his attempt to rebuild Barca as one of the leading giants of the game again, which has worked a treat so far with Barca sitting top of La Liga having thumped Real Madrid earlier in the season.