Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini sanctioned the loan deals for three senior players, Emmanuel Adebayor, Wayne Bridge and Roque Santa Cruz, to leave Eastlands in January but the Italian is now bemoaning a shortage of players following an injury crisis. Mancini is having to rely on the same group of players from the middle of January as City's fixture congestion continues.
"If there are some players who want to leave because they wish to play every game, it is difficult," he said.
"Should two or three players leave the club, you could buy two or three more.
"But we didn't think four or five important players would get injured in the space of 20 days."
Shay Given, James Milner and Adam Johnson have all been sidelined for extended periods, and in addition, Kolo Toure is suspended indefinitely pending an inquiry into his failed drugs test.
"When you become a top club you should have 25 players available in every game," he said.
"If you watched the game between Manchester United and Arsenal in the FA Cup, United changed eight players.
"When you play every three days, you need to change five or six players, minimum."
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City.