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Their bodies have broken down: perhaps because of age or being overworked at a club who, by the end of this season, may have played 536 games in nine years under Guardiola, an average touching 60 a season.

Already a lot of players who cannot sustain that we have in the past every week in, week out.

Grealish has had another stop-start season; it suggests, if he can find a taker, Guardiola may deem it necessary to call a halt to his City career.



(Getty Images)

Certainly he could do with more who are invariably available: as Rodri was before his cruciate injury, as Haaland tends to be, as Bernardo Silva, if worn down by his workload, and the seemingly indestructible Josko Gvardiol.

In City’s treble season of 2022-23, 11 of Guardiola’s core played at least 47 games, three others 39 or more.

This year’s numbers reflect those used more than City would have wanted, like Ilkay Gundogan and Rico Lewis, and those who may have been injured as an indirect consequence of being overworked, such as Akanji.

Those City players to avoid injury, such as the veteran Gundogan, have been overplayed (Getty Images)

So envious glances may be directed at Anfield, at the relatively empty treatment table.

City may have been unfortunate but Guardiola is keen to avoid a situation where injury-prone players get injured.