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Manchester City are in a good place with injuries but could see that threatened by the January transfer window
One of the most pleasing aspects of Manchester City's win over Liverpool for Pep Guardiola was the options that he didn't even need.
John Stones and Rayan Ait-Nouri weren't required to help out the defence, Tijjani Reijnders was unused on the bench, Omar Marmoush only played the last 20 minutes and Abdukodir Khusanov didn't even make the squad. The determination in the squad to get over what captain Bernardo Silva called the 'guilt' of last season is, according to Guardiola, resulting in fewer injuries.
"Why were there were a lot of injuries last season and this season, hopefully, we don't have them now? When you are not there, you get injured," he said on Sunday.
"When you are focused and you want to win and you want to be ready...Johan Cruyff told me: if you are ready, you don't get injured. Don't tell me why.
"The same methodology, The same training sessions, the same doctors, the same physios - why are there no injuries one year and all injuries the next year? Because you are not there, and because I was not there."
Another player who was there on Sunday without being used was Nathan Ake as the Dutchman took to the bench for the 13th time in 17 games this season. His only starts have come in the League Cup matches at Huddersfield and Swansea and Premier League games with Spurs and Everton.
That is as might be expected with a squad player, but Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman has said this week that Ake is 'bothered' by his lack of playing time, and while he went on to talk him up as one of the captains he did add: "Is he also guaranteed a place in the World Cup next year? That’s still a long way off.""
The lack of confirmation has already prompted reports that Ake could look for a move in the January transfer window to play more regularly and book his spot for the USA in summer.
And, given the options City have at their disposal, that may look fine now. Stones is there and Khusanov would surely relish the chance to feature more. But there is a long time between now and January and an even longer time between January and the end of the season.
Given the problems the Blues had with injuries last year, and the debilitating effect it had on them competing for trophies, it would be another risk to lose some of the depth they now have again just because they are in a position of strength.
That isn't to say that they won't or shouldn't do it - as ever, if Ake really wants a move and the price is right it will have to be considered. But after enduring a miserable years with injuries at the centre of it, City do not want to move too quickly in their bid to put that behind them.
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