One of Man City's treble undroppables faces fresh fight for place

Five of Manchester City's starting XI from the Champions League final are no longer guaranteed to play a big game for the Blues this season.

Ilkay Gundogan has gone and Kevin De Bruyne is injured, while Jack Grealish has a fresh challenge for his place from Jeremy Doku and Manu Akanji has fallen down the defensive pecking order with the re-emergence of Kyle Walker.

Then there is Nathan Ake, who recovered from injury in time to start the Champions League final in Istanbul and stand firm to become a European Champion. Fast forward five months, and Ake has fallen out of City's 'Big Game' XI - and through little fault of his own.

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When Pep Guardiola named his side that dismantled United last weekend, Ake was on the bench, with £77m signing Josko Gvardiol preferred at left-back. Gvardiol was the left-back at Arsenal earlier in October (although Ake started at centre-back), and the Croatian has started more games (nine) than Ake (two) at left-back.

In contrast, Ake has played seven games at centre-back but with John Stones back from injury next to Ruben Dias, Ake's chances of game-time in the centre will be reduced. The big games coming up - Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham and Aston Villa all follow Bournemouth this weekend - suggest Ake may play more of a watching brief, given games in the Champions League instead.

That is assuming Gvardiol continues at left-back, where he has impressed and shown his raw quality so far. Even playing in a position he almost never played for RB Leipzig, Gvardiol has emerged as first choice left-back at this stage of