Txiki Begiristain transfer gamble to be tested one final time after fresh Man City injury bombshell

Pep Guardiola, supported by Txiki Begiristain, prefers to operate with a small, manageable squad at Manchester City. It's a policy that has delivered plenty of success but is not without risk.

However much certain critics and pundits try to insist that the Blues have endless resources, anyone who has paid any shred of attention to the Etihad in the last few years will know that City's success lies on fewer versatile players rather than a host of specialists in each position.

Suddenly, City have emerged from the international break with six key players injured for the foreseeable future, leaving them with just 15 fit outfield options. The transfer strategy would always be stretched if certain players got injured, but the current situation is surely among the extremes of any worst-case scenarios mitigated for.

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But City have been here before. They decided against signing a new centre-back in 2019 when Vincent Kompany left and soon after lost Aymeric Laporte to injury. With John Stones drastically out of form, it meant a main central defensive partnership of Nicolas Otamendi and an out-of-position Fernandinho.

The results went about as well as could be expected.

During that season, City also lost Leroy Sane for the full campaign plus Ederson, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Benjamin Mendy, David Silva, Rodri, Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero for various spells. It was the only season they haven't won the Premier League in the last seven years. Even the very best have a ceiling when half the team isn't available.

This year, after opting