Pep Guardiola's worst nightmare could become his Man City salvation

Manchester City resume their domestic campaign this week and the fixtures come thick and fast across the Premier League, Champions League, Carabao Cup and FA Cup

Pep Guardiola said in a press conference before the international break that he would be going on holiday. Hopefully the Manchester City boss returns refreshed and ready for what could be a season-defining period.

The Blues return to action against Newcastle United this weekend in the first of nine matches in 28 days before Christmas. The festive fixture list then sees City play another 10 times before the end of January. It's a frantic schedule that totals 18 games in four competitions across 71 days that will shape the campaign.

City head into the busy schedule buoyed by their win over Liverpool prior to the international break that saw them cut Arsenal's gap at the top of the Premier League to four points. Guardiola has also welcomed back a clutch of injured players in recent weeks with only midfield pair Rodri and Mateo Kovacic sidelined.

But the Blues will lose Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri to the Africa Cup of Nations next month and the full depth of the City squad will be required to navigate the hectic fixture list. Early progress in the Champions League will help, as will the deeper options Guardiola has at his disposal.

The 2025 spending at the Etihad was north of £350million and added a plethora of first team players to the ranks. It means Guardiola is able to call upon more options than at arguably any point during his City tenure.

The Blues have a first team squad of 26 senior players and while that figure is slightly elevated by four goalkeepers and the presence of Kalvin Phillips - yet to make a Premier League matchday squad this season - it does point to an abundance of options, particularly considering Guardiola has often only operated with 18-20 senior players.

Indeed at the tail end of last term he spoke about his desire not to flesh out his squad with more bodies, even if the relentless schedule, which this year has also included a Club World Cup, seemed to necessitate it.

"I said to the club I don't want that [a bigger squad]," he said in May. "I don't want to leave five or six players in the freezer. I don't want that. I will quit. Make a shorter squad, I will stay.

"It's impossible for my soul to [tell] my players in the tribune [stands] that they cannot play."

But despite that comment, a bigger squad is what he has and a bigger squad is what could prove the difference for City this term.

Arsenal have strengthened significantly over the past 18 months in their bid to claim a first Premier League title since 2004, and if City are to keep pace and challenge across four competitions then Guardiola relenting on his squad size and having to have difficult conversations with players is a price worth paying.

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