Man City are playing a dangerous game with three of their most important stars

When Julian Alvarez arrived at Manchester City a little over a year ago, few could have predicted the 12 months that would follow.

The frontman agreed to move to the Etihad in January 2022 and officially became a Blues player that summer. Since then he has gone on to win the World Cup, Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and EFL Cup as well as the UEFA Super Cup.

It is a trophy haul most clubs would be proud of and the Argentina frontman has achieved it all in a little over a year. But might it come with a price?

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The 23-year-old has become a key player for City this season, often deployed in tandem with Erling Haaland as opposed to being the first change for the Norwegian sensation. It means Alvarez is racking up the matches and the minutes.

And due to his international commitments and the nature of his move to City last year, the Blues must manage the forward carefully. Data released by FIFPro last month showed Alvarez had played 66 games between September 2022 and September 2023. He was 10th on the list and one of four City players, alongside Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Manuel Akanji, in the top 10.

The demands of top-level football are such that all four must be monitored and assessed as the season continues given the physical nature of the Premier League and the strain being put on the players' bodies.

But Alvarez has the added complication of essentially playing through 2022 without a rest as a result of his mid-year move from River Plate to City. He had a three-week gap in July and then played his part in Argentina's run to World Cup success in the winter.

A season like no other became two years