'Alvarez will be slightly disappointed'

Former City midfielder Michael Brown has questioned how Julian Alvarez gets back into Pep Guardiola’s starting XI for the biggest games after being left on the bench for their win in Copenhagen.

The Argentina international has started every one of City’s 23 Premier League matches this season but his place has been threatened by the return of Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne from injury.

“After starting every Premier League game, he will be slightly disappointed,” Brown told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast.

“It’s the Champions League and he will feel like for all he’s done, how does he stay in the team with Haaland? Where’s his position?

“Ultimately you can only see Bernardo [Silva] would go and join [Phil] Foden in a wider area and he could also go and join that midfield with De Bruyne and Rodri.

“I do think we’ll see Alvarez come back again as his honesty, his desire and what he has contributed has been great.

“It’s good news for City there’s another one just behind it (the starting XI) but I think that just shows their strength, that little bit of muscle. Everyone in the Champions League will be going ‘really?’

“I think City are in their flow.”

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds