Manchester City to field new signings against Chelsea as injury crisis continues

All three of Manchester City’s new signings will go straight into their squad for Saturday’s Premier League clash against Chelsea.

Forward Omar Marmoush and defenders Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov all arrived at the Etihad Stadium this week as the champions moved to bolster their squad amid an underwhelming campaign.

With injuries continuing to bite, manager Pep Guardiola feels he has little option but to bring the new faces into the reckoning.

Asked if the new signings were ready to play, Guardiola said at a press conference: “Yes. We don’t have players. They can play but I don’t know (what position) yet.”

The trio have joined City for combined initial fees of £122.5million.

They represent the club’s first major moves in a January transfer window for several years and were prompted by a lengthy injury list and unexpected slump in form.

After winning four Premier League titles in succession, Guardiola began the current campaign confident in the strength of his playing group.

But with City having fallen off the pace in the title race, this summer’s plans to start overhauling an ageing squad have now been brought forward.

Guardiola said: “Last season we didn’t do much due to the exceptional quality of the team.

“We anticipated three or four and we should do it in summer, (but) we had to do it here for the amount of injuries, the problems that we had.”

Guardiola hopes the three additions can bring a new energy to a group reeling from another setback in midweek.

City had looked to have rediscovered their zest after thrashing Ipswich 6-0 last weekend but they then contrived to lose 4-2 at Paris St Germain on Wednesday after leading 2-0.

That defeat has left them in danger of failing to qualify for the Champions League