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I saw three Man City players rise to Pep Guardiola challenge - and one who didn't

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.

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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. Wherever he plays, he needs someone more solid next to him. Guardiola's quote about the Club World Cup was in direct response to a question about Nunes, but the answer applied to the full squad.

"We need him. His pace is unique, his runs and for the way they defend maybe we can create the space in that position. His shot, can adapt," the boss said, before bringing up the Club World Cup. "The players don't believe it,"

Read more on manchestereveningnews.co.uk
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