Low-key Man City exit shows Pep Guardiola wants new leaders to emerge

There is going to be a very different dynamic for Manchester City as they settle into their Miami base later today ahead of a Club World Cup that could see them spend the next five-and-a-half weeks in the United States.

No Kevin De Bruyne, no Kyle Walker and no Jack Grealish will make a difference to this squad. De Bruyne and Walker were part of the leadership group, and Grealish is one of the liveliest, most outgoing characters in the squad.

But there is another absentee that maybe best signals the desire for new leaders to emerge in the City squad. It won't attract the same column inches, but a dressing room shorn of Scott Carson for the first time in six years will also leave a gap that won't be easy to fill.

The 39-year-old might not be part of any official leadership group, but insiders at the club realise just how important his role has been in the last half-dozen years. Two appearances on the pitch in that time don't even come close to explaining his influence.

To get a better handle on what the former England international brought to the club, just listen to Guardiola himself. Take this from 2020: “I was fortunate in Manchester to know this guy. Sometimes as a manager, you get the opportunity to know people like him – he’s like a captain, built incredible love for the team. I’m pretty sure when we need him, he’ll respond!”

Or this from 2021: “The people maybe don’t know, but he’s a real leader. He says what he believes." Or 2022: “He is very important to us behind the scenes. His chemistry with Ederson and Zack Steffen is fundamental in the locker room. People listen when he speaks."

The FIFA Club World Cup will see 32 of the world's best club teams including Man City, Chelsea, Real Madrid, PSG and Bayern Munich