City’s Secret Weapon Could Solve Their Injury Crisis! So Why Doesn’t Pep Guardiola Trust Him?
Manchester City had an opportunity to address their injury challenges during a recent game against Brighton, where they were trailing 2-1 and needed a goal. Although Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne were brought on, neither was fully fit, and City conceded two quick goals without additional substitutions from Pep Guardiola, ultimately leading to another defeat.
Interestingly, this marked the ninth consecutive game where Guardiola kept James McAtee on the bench, despite previously praising his potential to connect midfield and attack in tight spaces. McAtee, with six appearances this season—including a Champions League goal and starts in the Carabao Cup and Community Shield—has seen limited Premier League action.
His sole league appearance was a brief substitute appearance in a 4-1 victory over Ipswich in August, and he has often remained on the bench even when City needed offensive creativity in critical moments against teams like Arsenal, Newcastle, Wolves, Bournemouth, and Brighton.
In 12 out of 17 matches across all competitions, McAtee has been an unused substitute, totaling just 234 minutes this season—less than two percent of possible minutes. Guardiola has previously acknowledged McAtee’s skill, especially when playing against teams with deep defenses, but has also made it clear that McAtee won’t be a regular starter this season. However, he has the potential to be helpful in various matches.
Recently, Guardiola mentioned the shortage of fit players as a potential opening for McAtee to see more game time, yet the young midfielder remains sidelined. McAtee is aware this season isn’t about regular playing time but gaining experience, and his upcoming involvement with England’s under-21 team may offer him a reminder of what regular starts feel like.
As the January transfer window approaches, it might benefit City to offer McAtee more opportunities on the field, demonstrating his importance to the team and possibly preventing a difficult conversation regarding his future.
