Man City can unleash perfect solution to Pep Guardiola's biggest gripe

Manchester City started last season with six straight Premier League wins but you get the sense Pep Guardiola is not necessarily expecting a repeat this time around.

City have made a habit in recent years of peaking at the right time and becoming a force to be reckoned with down the final stretch. But they also know the importance of a good start.

Over their opening half dozen matches across the last four seasons, City have tasted defeat just twice. They're not formidable early doors but they're powerful. Except this term that power could be diluted by workload and potential player absences.

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City will definitely be without Julian Alvarez for the beginning of the season with the forward on Olympic duty with Argentina. And the Blues had John Stones, Kyle Walker, Phil Foden and Rodri involved in the European Championship final, affording that quartet just 27 days between the showpiece and the Community Shield next weekend.

All four are due to return to training next week, along with a clutch of other star players ahead of the Premier League opener against Chelsea. It remains to be seen how City will line-up on opening day given the workload of many of their big names but Guardiola has been handed a fillip by the showings of some of his youngsters in the US.

Indeed a handful have stepped up and shown they merit first team involvement. Oscar Bobb has been the star performer, Nico O'Reilly the breakout star and James McAtee has earned repeated praise from his manager. All three have had limited first team