Pep Guardiola ordered to 'get brutal' as Man City rescue route emerges

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Manchester City's slide in results continues, but Pep Guardiola has continued to rely on the same core of players in his efforts to return to winning ways - and Manchester Evening News readers in our comments section reckon that it's time to switch things up and "get brutal" with underperformers.

City face Everton and Leicester City over the next week, and will be eager to enter the January transfer window with some winning momentum behind them again.

Tired legs have impacted City's performances as Pep admits he needs a bigger squad, and injuries have limited his options to switch things up and rest players who aren't showing their best.

There are younger options at City who could show Pep something different - the promising midfielder James McAtee has racked up just two Premier League minutes so far this season, and defender Jahmai Simpson-Pusey has not featured for the senior team since the Feyenoord draw last month.