Three ways Man City can line up without Dias, Stones and Walker for final three fixtures

"If Phil Foden has to play at centre-back, he will play at centre-back!"

Pep Guardiola was in a mischievous mood on Sunday after Manchester City's win over Newcastle — and not just when he claimed the whole country wanted Liverpool to win the Premier League. City had responded perfectly to their Real Madrid disaster and took a huge step towards the title with their big win at the Etihad. But the 5-0 win didn't come without a cost.

After the game, Guardiola confirmed that injury absentees Kyle Walker and John Stones would miss the final three games of the season, as would Ruben Dias, who went off at half-time with his own injury. Nathan Ake remained on the bench with his own problem, with CJ Egan-Riley and Fernandinho ending the match at centre-back. City are going to limp over the line if they are to win the league.

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Guardiola laughed when asked if he was serious about playing Foden at centre-back, confirming that he was (obviously_ joking. But he also said he has 13-and-a-half fit players for the final three games of the season, with Ake likely to miss the Wolves trip this week. Aymeric Laporte was substituted before the end against Newcastle, too.

"In this situation it’s not a problem, Rodri can play there. We have the academy. Everyone has to do extra," he said after the game.

"13 players and a half for these games and everyone has to do more and more to help our absence. We arrive with problems and that’s all. Fernandinho did good and we are going to do it. We have Joao, Aleks and Aymer plus maybe Fernandinho."

So what could City's make-shift defence look like in the next fortnight — a period that could define whether this has been a