Man City set to benefit from key advantage over their Premier League rivals
Manchester City might lose Kalvin Phillips next month but January is not due to be a busy time for the champions of the world.
Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku are all expected to be back from injury while a best-case prognosis could see John Stones, injured again against Everton, also return. City have had to weather a storm over the last few weeks.
They will end up playing nine games in December - more than any other Premier League team - and without several of their key men for many of them. The Blues suffered a four-game winless streak before heading off to Saudi Arabia but the Club World Cup triumph has re-instilled confidence.
READ MORE: Guardiola gives Kevin De Bruyne injury update
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Pep Guardiola’s men are still only five points off top spot having played a game fewer than their rivals while they are due to welcome back their poster boys during a time when many Premier League stars will be absent. While the likes of Liverpool hero Mohamed Salah, Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey (if recovered from injury) and Tottenham linchpin Yves Bissouma are set to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations, City will be keeping all of their first-team stars in-house given Algerian Riyad Mahrez has left.
Newcastle are the only other club to not be losing any players to the tournament in Africa. Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal will lose up to two players each while Nottingham Forest are the hardest hit with eight potentially leaving.
The finals were due to be held last summer but the weather in host country Ivory Coast meant it was pushed back six months. This has perhaps inadvertently handed City a marginal advantage in a period that could see them
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