Man City have smallest squad in Premier League, claims Guardiola

MANCHESTER, England : Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola claimed his squad depth is the lowest in the Premier League after Sunday's victory over Aston Villa left his side just three points off the top.

Goals by Rodri and Ilkay Gundogan and a penalty by Riyad Mahrez sealed a 3-1 win at the end of a week in which the champions were charged with more than 100 cases of alleged financial wrongdoing by the Premier League.

City have spent close to two billion pounds ($2.41 billion) on players since Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan became owner in 2008 - winning six Premier League titles in that time.

Guardiola's current squad is valued at 1.05 billion euros ($1.12 billion) by website transfermarkt and on Sunday he started with the likes of England internationals Kalvin Phillips and Phil Foden and Argentina striker Julian Alvarez on the bench.

Yet the Spaniard claimed he is working with a squad of less than 20 players as they chase league leaders Arsenal and attempt to win the Champions League for the first time.

"We have just 18, 19 players. Our depth is so, so small, maybe the smallest one in the Premier League by far," Guardiola told Sky Sports. "It's important that we don't have injuries but we have an incredible methodology for training to manage the fatigue and avoid injuries.

"We have incredible doctors and physios and everyone. I fight for that for many years."

City will face an independent commission to answer 115 charges brought by the Premier League, dating back to 2009.

If found guilty City, in the worst case scenario, could face a points deduction or even be relegated with Guardiola saying this week that the club had already been 'condemned'..

Despite the cloud hanging over the club, reigning champions City