NO EXCUSES Pep's demand for his players

PEP Guardiola wants no excuses from his Manchester City players as he looks for every member of his squad to be pushing for a regular starting place.

- By SIMON BAJKOWSKI

Omar Marmoush, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki are all set to return for the Blues to ease their injury concerns and give the manager more options for his match days.

However, all three find the team in a much better state than when they were sidelined.

After a difficult opening that included two defeats from their first three games, City have found their feet in all competitions and are on a seven-match unbeaten streak where the only two draws were both down to goals conceded in the dying minutes.

A number of players have found their form, with Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Nico O'Reilly all making convincing claims to keep their starting places when the injured players return.

Guardiola sought to protect his squad last season when injuries bit and competition died off, refusing to criticise them in press conferences.