This week's Q&A takes a look at the situation of Manchester City's midfielders as well as what lies ahead for Pep Guardiola
Nico Gonzalez, Erling Haaland, and Phil Foden of Manchester City celebrate during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, United Kingdom, on April 19, 2026. (Photo by Mark Cosgrove/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Nico Gonzalez, Erling Haaland, and Phil Foden of Manchester City celebrate during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, United Kingdom, on April 19, 2026. (Photo by Mark Cosgrove/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Nico Gonzalez and Phil Foden
Manchester City are flying. A 2-1 win over Arsenal in their crunch Premier League game was followed up with victory at Burnley to go top of the table for a few days and then a win at Wembley over Southampton. Pep Guardiola needed to make changes in the FA Cup semi-final to get the job but City have made more history with a fourth consecutive final appearance.
Up next is a week of calm before the storm really hits. City do not play until they take on Everton next Monday night for the first of six games in three weeks that will see if they can add another one or two trophies to their collection by the end of the season. With so much going on at the club, we'll be hosting weekly Q&A sessions with our chief City writer Simon Bajkowski.
The day of the week it comes out on may change depending on what City's schedule looks like, but essentially this is your chance to get an answer on anything you want - simply pop your question here at any time of the week and Simon will pick them all up and wrap everything up in one place.
This week we are looking at the midfield situation at the club with uncertainty over who will line up next season given a few contract situations and planned moves in the summer transfer window. There is also a look at what Pep Guardiola has in his immediate future.
Hello Simon, I want to ask about Pep Guardiola’s yellow card situation. I’m quite confused right now. I’ve seen some reports saying he has 7 yellow cards, while others say 8. He already got a 2 match ban after reaching 6 yellow cards. Then he received 1 more yellow card in the Carabao Cup final, and another 1 in the latest match against Arsenal. So does that mean he now has 8 yellow cards in total? And if he gets 1 more, will he be banned for 3 matches? I’ve read the FA rules many times, but now I’m completely confused. Could you help me find the answer? I’m really confused."
Hi LJ, as someone who has also spent ages feeling like they're hitting their head against a brick wall trying to work out suspension rules this might be my favourite question so far. It is, as you say, not the most clear or straightforward and also isn't really tabled anywhere - I'm going to have to make a note to include manager bookings in any stats I collate next season.
The key thing to note is that the Carabao Cup is not grouped together with the FA Cup and Premier League. That is why Guardiola was able to be in the dugout for the League Cup final at Wembley and also why his yellow card in that game does not bring any further risk of a suspension.
Guardiola did pick up a yellow card in the league game against Arsenal - for protesting the ludicrous decision not to send Gabriel off for a headbutt - so that moves him onto seven for the season. That means that if he picks up two more in remaining league and FA Cup games he will be suspended for three matches, so he needs to avoid two more in City's next five matches if he wants to be in the dugout for the last game of the season at home to Aston Villa.
Hi Steven, they are definitely keen on Elliot Anderson and he would be a marquee signing for anybody in the Premier League this summer. If City could only sign one midfielder, it would be the Forest man. City are confident of landing him as well but, as you say, United are in the market for multiple midfielders this season and other clubs will be interested so City may not get everything they want and have to prepare several options.
There is also a chance more than one midfielder comes in at City this summer given there is uncertainty around a number of their current players. Bernardo Silva is definitely off but Mateo Kovacic has also had a frustrating year, Rodri is approaching the final 12 months of his deal and Nico Gonzalez has had a strange year. It seems Sandro Tonali would be keen on a move away from Newcastle and City do like him, but he's not ahead of Anderson on any lists and it isn't like he's definitely the top pick for a second midfielder either. As for Trafford, I would still be very surprised if he stayed given he wants to be playing every week and there will be lots of interest in him.
Hi Bhan, as you point out Foden is another who is coming into the final year of his contract. When I checked earlier in the season negotiations over a new deal were progressing but I'm not sure how much has been made since in a time where Foden's level has dropped off a cliff.
It's been another strange season and it should not be forgotten that he was outstanding between September and December to the point where - like a few others in the team - he was played and played and played. That toll of minutes seemed to grind down the fresh edge that he had rediscovered and he hasn't really been the same since.
There have been signs in the last few weeks that he is at least trying to find his rhythm again, but it just isn't happening. He looks like he needs a break rather than a World Cup this summer but he and City need to get to the bottom of why his form has disappeared again and take steps to solve that problem if he is to be given a new deal.
I wish it were possible to keep track of every player that City were looking at or keeping tabs on but the truth is that they have eyes all over the world in a global scouting system that is constantly looking at players. Through the City Football Group, there is a database that all clubs can use to see if they can find what they are looking for.
As mentioned last week, Maza is definitely on a list but that list was described to me as long and it would not be a surprise to see City checking out many young talents given they have brought in Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Rayan Cherki in the last three transfer windows. At the same time, City's name is obviously very attractive for any players to be linked with and exciting when they do show any interest so it's very possible none of them sign despite the Blues having an eye on the future again in the summer window.
I agree with lots of your points Savio in terms of last season making Guardiola stronger and the extra passion and energy that he has brought this season, but at the same time he has done everything he wanted to at City. He will be excited by the potential in the team for next season and beyond, yet that does not mean he will definitely stick around to see it. Will he stay or will he go this summer? It looks, sounds and feels like the latter but at least there's not long until a decision.
A very good question Swostik, and one that I had a go at asking Guardiola about the other week. The answer then was simply that Rodri and Bernardo Silva were the midfield pair of choice and they are hard to oust, especially when they are playing as majestically as they were. At the same time, he also made clear that there is lots for Gonzalez to improve on - although he will be feeling a lot better after that FA Cup goal.
I also wonder whether the injury, and Rodri's previous injuries have contributed. Gonzalez was played and played to the point of breaking down at Sunderland on New Year's Day, was rushed back six days later, and hasn't started a league game since. It may be that his form has taken a downward turn but given the problems City have had with overplaying people it wouldn't surprise me if he had deliberately been kept out as the Rodri and Silva partnership emerged and then has been unable to displace them.