Two defenders seem to have their cards marked at Man City

Man City entered this season with Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, John Stones and Nathan Ake as the four senior centre-backs in Pep Guardiola’s squad. Dias and Gvardiol are City’s first-choice centre-back pairing. They have shown that across this season. Ake and Stones would provide cover for them when necessary. That seemed to be City’s plan for the 25/26 season. When injury struck Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol, in an ideal world John Stones and Nathan Ake would step into their place. That isn’t what has unfolded. Once again, John Stones is sidelined due to injury for the foreseeable future. Nathan Ake looks to be battling fitness issues of his own.

Based on the fitness battles Ake and Stones have faced this season, and in…