Ilkay Gundogan, John Stones and Kyle Walker were all missing from the matchday squad as Manchester City took on Aston Villa.
Pep Guardiola was already without the injured Kevin De Bruyne and Ferran Torres and the suspended Aymeric Laporte for the Premier League game, and the Blues were then forced to travel without Gundogan, Stones, and Walker. The trio were said to be all ruled out with niggles, being classed as not fully fit.
City's manager had warned about a squad "emergency" before this game ahead of a busy month where they will have to draw upon as many players as they possible to rotate through matches and get through the schedule. With Gundogan and Walker out, Fernandinho came into the XI in midfield and Aleks Zinchenko at left-back, with Joao Cancelo moving across to right-back.
Nathan Ake partnered Ruben Dias in defence with Stones and Laporte both unavailable; young defenders Luke Mbete and Josh WIlson-Esbrand were two of five academy players named on the bench after playing a full game for the Under-23s on Monday night.
In better news, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden were fit enough to return to the bench. Grealish has been absent since picking up an injury with England in the November international break. Foden shrugged off a similar knock to start in the home win against Everton but a problem with his foot saw him miss the matches with Paris Saint-Germain and West Ham.
Guardiola has welcomed the pair back, although suggested they would not be able to play many minutes at Villa.
