Man City can field all 21 players over next six fixtures to arrive in perfect form vs Arsenal

When Manchester City resume action after the international break on Saturday, they begin a run of potentially four months without a free midweek.

City have had a leisurely start to the season by their own standards, with two out of three midweeks so far free from a fixture. That has given Pep Guardiola and Juanma Lillo time to ease the squad into action and cope with the niggling number of injuries that have disrupted the campaign so far.

When the campaign resumes, the Champions League group stage begins, taking up six of the ten midweeks before Christmas, not including the two remaining international breaks. With the Carabao Cup and Club World Cup taking up the remaining midweek slots, City could wait until the new year for a week off.

Even then, with the Club World Cup falling when the Carabao Cup quarter-finals are scheduled, the next free midweek (w/c January 1) may have to be used for that competition, and if they progress then the next free midweek would be in February. City will need every member of their squad to play their part.

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There are currently 23 players in the first-team squad, although Scott Carson is included in that figure as third-choice goalkeeper. Kevin De Bruyne is injured until the new year, while John Stones and Jack Grealish also currently have injuries but are expected back soon.

Without Carson and De Bruyne, that gives City 21 players to use, and they will be needed over the next six fixtures.

First up is a tricky trip to West Ham, who have beaten Chelsea and Brighton so far this season and have ten points from a possible 12. City have dropped points at the London Stadium in the past, and will find it tough on Saturday.