Alvarez to Grealish - Man City's best and worst performers so far this season

If you take away the last week or so, it's been a strong start to the season for Manchester City.

The Blues already have a trophy to their name after clinching the UEFA Super Cup and started their Premier League defence with six straight wins. Pep Guardiola's side didn't manage to claim four successive league wins until February last season and they still managed to win the treble. Two wins out of two in the Champions League set them up nicely for qualifying for the knockouts and there weren't many tears shed over elimination from the Carabao Cup.

However, City haven't been anywhere near their scintillating best so far as they've dealt with injuries and struggled to find their rhythm. In fact, they have lost their last three domestic games in succession - all without the suspended Rodri - and lost back-to-back league matches for the first time since 2018.

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The title won't be won or lost in October but Sunday's defeat to Arsenal has certainly given City's rivals a huge boost. Here are City's biggest winners and losers so far:

Winners

Rodri - If it wasn't already clear, the last week has made it completely unequivocal that Rodri is City's most important player. His utterly foolish red card against Sheffield United has earned him some negative points given how costly it's proven but it would be impossible to put him anywhere near the loser column.

Until this past week, City have never been without Rodri for three successive domestic games and it's a good job. All three of them were lost - Newcastle, Wolves and Arsenal - with his absence proving a huge problem. No one can play his role. This means you play someone there