Manchester City supporters will be eagerly counting down the days until competitive action returns to the Etihad Stadium.
On Thursday, Liverpool will visit Manchester in the Carabao Cup with both sides hoping to make a good start as the domestic season resumes. Before then, a City XI will take on Girona in a friendly at the Academy Stadium.
It is expected that City's side will feature a mix of first-team and EDS players as the Blues look to strengthen and get back to match fitness ahead of their long-awaited return. One man who is likely to start both upcoming matches is Sergio Gomez.
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The Spaniard arrived at the Etihad in the summer from Anderlecht and was highly rated by their former manager Vincent Kompany. At the time of his arrival, some were suggesting that both Gomez and Julian Alvarez should be sent out on loan to further develop their talent.
However, both men remained in England, with Pep Guardiola adamant that the duo had vital roles to play at City. While Alvarez has moved from strength to strength and is showcasing his ability at the World Cup, Gomez has found adapting to the Premier League slightly tougher.
With Joao Cancelo ahead of him, the 22-year-old was always going to find it hard to break into the first team on a regular basis. This lack of regular football has hindered his performances when he has featured.
Gomez has often struggled when called upon by Guardiola but will hopefully see the World Cup break as a fresh slate in Manchester. Due to Cancelo's stint in Qatar, Gomez is likely to start both matches against Girona and Liverpool over the next week.
Solid showings will be needed to prove that Guardiola did not make an error by keeping Gomez at the club this season. It must be clarified that a poor performance in either match over the next few days should not constitute an overreaction which leads to claims that the full-back should not have been signed at all.
Of course, Gomez is a young player and plenty of signings before him have had a slow start in their first campaign under Guardiola, only to come good in the years to come. However, with January around the corner, the City boss may be tempted to look for a loan switch for Gomez so that he can gain that regular football that he perhaps needs at this stage of his career.
The ex-Anderlecht and Borussia Dortmund man still has more than a good chance of becoming a success but it is crucial for him to show more of his capabilities when given the opportunity by Guardiola moving forward.
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