Manchester City have had a lively start to the season, excelling in both the Premier League and cup competitions like the UEFA Champions League and Carabao Cup.
The Sky Blues remain unbeaten in the Premier League, having won five of their first seven matches and drawing two. These strong performances have placed City second in the league table, with an impressive goal-scoring display to back it up.
In the Carabao Cup, Pep Guardiola’s side secured a fourth-round spot after a victory over Watford, while also maintaining momentum in the UEFA Champions League.
As the season paused for international duty, many of City’s top players left to represent their countries. Over two weeks in October, they took part in various competitions, from UEFA Nations League clashes to 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in South America.
In the UEFA Nations League, several City stars played key roles. Portugal’s Rúben Dias and Bernardo Silva were central to victories over Poland, with Bernardo finding the net, before a goalless draw with Scotland. This leaves Portugal leading their group with two matches left.
Croatia’s Joško Gvardiol also had a busy break, featuring in both matches against Scotland and Poland, while teammate Mateo Kovacic was absent. Croatia edged Scotland but shared a thrilling 3-3 draw with Poland, sitting second in their group.
Belgium’s Jérémy Doku faced tough opponents in Italy and France, managing a draw against a 10-man Italy before falling to France. As a result, Belgium is third in their group and faces possible relegation to League B.
Manuel Akanji, playing for Switzerland, endured a tough break with a loss to Serbia and a draw against Denmark. Switzerland now sit bottom of their group and are also in danger of relegation.
Several City players featured in League B action. In Group 2, England’s Kyle Walker, John Stones, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, and Rico Lewis faced Greece and Finland. After a shock defeat to Greece, England bounced back with a 1-3 win over Finland, including a goal from Grealish. England are currently second in their group.
Erling Haaland was on fire for Norway in League B Group 3, scoring twice in a win over Slovenia, though the team was then routed 5-1 by Austria. Despite the setback, Norway remains at the top of a tightly contested group, where the top three teams are level on points.
Outside Europe, Ederson and Savinho helped Brazil in their 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Both City players started in wins over Chile and Peru, with Brazil sitting fourth in the qualification standings with eight matches remaining.
Young talent James McAtee shone for England Under-21s, netting three goals in two games. He scored twice late on in a 2-1 comeback against Ukraine and also contributed in a 7-0 rout of Azerbaijan.
Back at City, Stefan Ortega and Matheus Nunes were not selected for their national squads, while Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, Nathan Aké, and Oscar Bobb were sidelined due to injury.
Retired from international football, Scott Carson and İlkay Gündoğan sat out the break. Gündoğan was honored by the German football federation during the break for his exceptional service to his country.
