Man City have ideal solution to injury problems - so why doesn't Pep Guardiola trust him?

Brighton. 2-1 down. Manchester City need a goal.

Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne had come on but neither were fully fit and couldn't stop two quickfire goals going against an exhausted City side. Pep Guardiola had around 15 minutes left including injury time, but no further substitutions came. City lost again.

This was the ninth game in a row where Guardiola has kept James McAtee on the bench, despite often talking up his ability to link midfield and attack in the small spaces. If he can't play now, when will he?

McAtee has six appearances to his name this season, scoring once in the Champions League and starting both games in the Carabao Cup, plus the Community Shield.

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But only one of those appearances have come in the Premier League - a 90th minute substitute appearance for Erling Haaland at the end of a comfortable 4-1 win over Ipswich in August. He has watched on from the bench in 10 of City's 11 games - including five examples when the Blues needed a goal in the second half and had substitutions available. But McAtee didn't come on against Arsenal, Newcastle, Wolves, Bournemouth or Brighton despite Guardiola needing some inspiration in attack.

Only against Brentford has Guardiola used all his substitutions without turning to McAtee, while there have been four occasions where City have been winning and McAtee could have come on but didn't.

There is no pattern to why McAtee is overlooked, only that he isn't. His one minute of action represents just 0.001 per cent of league minutes he has been available for all season. In all competitions he has been an unused substitute in 12 of 17 games, playing just 234 minutes across 17 games - or 1.5 per cent. It is not like his skillset is not needed either.

“With teams who play so deep he has the quality to find it," Guardiola said after McAtee's goal in Slovakia. “He scored and had a few more chances. I always had the feeling that I believe more he can play here than he does. Hopefully minutes can help him and show that he is part of that.

“Of course, he will not be a regular player this season but in a lot of games he will help us and when he plays like he did today I can always count on him perfectly.”

More recently, Guardiola acknowledged City's lack of fit players and said 'it can happen' over McAtee's chances of playing as a result. It isn't happening, though, and the midfielder must question when it will.

He knows this season won't be one where he plays every week, and he's in the squad to learn. When he represents England under-21s this week he will get another taste of starts again and may remind him of what he had out on loan.

As the January transfer window approaches, City could benefit from giving McAtee some more minutes to remind him of his importance and avoid an awkward conversation in the new year.