Pep Guardiola is already planning his team for the Club World Cup, nine months and a full season away in June. "We spoke - we are going to play at the end of the season Club World Cup, no holidays then start the Premier League again," he said before Manchester City took on Slovan Bratislava. "We need everyone." Guardiola had calculated the 12-month-long season before this one had even begun, and has cautioned against the hectic schedule his City side will face this term.
To combat that, his first objective is to keep his regulars rotated and as fit as possible. To achieve that he needs a competitive and willing group of fringe players to step up when they need to. ALSO READ: Man City player ratings vs Slovan Bratislava as Rico Lewis shines and Phil Foden sends message ALSO READ: Man City felt Pep Guardiola wrath but Erling Haaland brought calm amid chaotic 'holiday' So the chance to make six changes against Slovan was one he wasn't going to pass up.
Some made sense - a chance to give Stefan Ortega a game and Ederson a rest, or allow Phil Foden and Ilkay Gundogan another 90 minutes to play themselves into form.
Others had more riding on it. Matheus Nunes is in a strange position in that he's not really a holding midfielder (despite his insistence that he is), and not really a number eight or number 10.