How do City cope without Aguero?

Sergio Aguero has been handed a four-game suspension after he was sent off for a wild challenge on David Luiz in Manchester City’s 3-1 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday.

The striker’s studs-up lunge sparked a mass scuffle in the dying minutes at the Etihad Stadium, with Fernandinho also shown a straight red card after clashing with Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas.

Aguero has received an extended ban as he has already served a three-game suspension this season for elbowing West Ham defender Winston Reid during City’s 3-1 win over the Hammers in August.

It means he will miss City’s upcoming clashes with Leicester, Watford, Arsenal and Hull, and it’s a headache for Pep Guardiola as he looks to keep in touch with Antonio Conte’s side during the frantic Christmas period.

Aguero has been City’s top scorer in each of the last five seasons and he has shown his importance to the side in the new campaign with 10 Premier League goals in 12 appearances.

His absence will have City’s upcoming opponents breathing a sigh of relief, but the stats make surprising reading. In fact, City can take comfort from their recent record without him.

Since the start of last season, they have actually averaged more points and more goals scored in the 12 Premier League games he has missed compared to the 40 Premier League games he has started.

It gives them a superior win percentage without Aguero, and City have also averaged more possession when he is not in the team.

Guardiola will be hoping that trend continues in the weeks ahead, but he still needs to decide how to adjust his team. City’s new £27m striker Gabriel Jesus was pictured in the stands on Saturday, but the Brazilian will not be available until January. So what are the options?

Another chance for …

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