Manchester City need their defenders back and fully fit | OneFootball

So far this season, injuries and unfit players have defined Manchester City’s start to the season. Pep Guardiola’s side started the season in sparkling form going unbeaten in their first 9 Premier League matches. They also started the UEFA Champions League league phase in strong form, especially at the back. But eventually, injuries and the overreliance on the same players caught up to Manchester City.

The international break came at the right time for the world champions as they lost their last 4 games in all competitions before the current international break. But when domestic football returns next weekend Manchester City need their defenders back fully fit to provide stability for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Across City’s losing streak Pep Guardiola couldn’t call upon the services of Ruben Dias and John Stones. The pair went down with calf and foot injuries respectively. Sam Lee reported for the Athletic that neither injury is particularly serious. The hope is that both can return after the international break. But what made it worse for Manchester City was the fact that neither Manuel Akanji nor Nathan Ake were fully fit at the same time. Akanji was playing underdone and it has now emerged that Ake faces another spell on the sidelines. But losing all four of their best centre-backs robbed Pep Guardiola’s side of any continuity and stability at the back. The flow-on effect of that issue was seen during City’s last four defeats.

READ MORE: Could Manchester City’s injury situation force them to buy a defender next summer?

Pep Guardiola was forced to rely on an undermanned defence and forced to call upon Jahmai Simpson-Pusey to fill the hole left by the absence of his best defenders. To his credit, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey showed he is likely to become a quality player in the future. He put in two promising displays against Sporting and Brighton. But he’d have benefited from having a player like Ruben Dias alongside him. But injuries didn’t allow him that opportunity. Trying to reshuffle City’s defence to cover for injuries also clearly unsettled City’s backline. That was clear during City’s 4-1 defeat to Sporting and that showed late in the second half of City’s 2-1 defeat to Brighton last Saturday.

Manchester City need Ruben Dias, John Stones and Manuel Akanji back fully fit after the international break. They did form part of an underrated strength of Pep Guardiola’s strength. While players such as Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden get the headlines City’s defence is the foundation of the lineup. They also need Kyle Walker to rediscover his best form. With Walker struggling to click into gear it has forced Rico Lewis to play more than he should be. It is not that Lewis isn’t capable of playing so often; it’s more that, being such a young player, he does need the opportunity to rest. How Kyle Walker returns from international duty will be something to watch for next weekend.

The only constants in Manchester City’s defence this season has been Rico Lewis and Josko Gvardiol. The pair have performed admirably all things considered. But they need Ruben Dias, John Stones and Manuel Akanji back on the pitch. It’s too simplistic to say that their return will see Manchester City return to winning ways. But when they are back on the pitch and fully fit the champions are a different team. They need their defenders back to provide stability, leadership and to plug the gaps in City’s defence. Their absence has stood out during City’s losing streak.