BLUE MIGHT NOT PLAY, KEV!

KEVIN de Bruyne is no longer guaranteed a place in City’s starting XI – and could miss out against Chelsea tomorrow, Pep Guardiola has confirmed.

The Belgian has been the heart of the Blues in recent campaigns and last season missed just one league game. This season he has suffered with injuries, but is no longer guaranteed a place in the team due to tactical decisions.

When asked if it was possible that De Bruyne may not play in tomorrow’s clash against Chelsea at the Etihad, Guardiola replied: “Maybe yeah. It’s quite possible.

“At the end we judge the players for who they are, but they are there to perform. There are times when team-mates are in better condition. In football what you have done in the past, you have to do in future.” OLE Gunnar Solskjaer has outlined his United vision to Ed Woodward as he looks to secure the manager’s job on a permanent basis.

The Reds’ interim boss has presided over nine wins and a draw in his first eight weeks back at Old Trafford and has been named the club’s first Premier League Manager of the Month since October 2012. Solskjaer has not

The City manager also explained his decision to start De Bruyne on the bench for the win against Everton in midweek.

“We try to control the players, he played the last two. At Everton he got a few minutes. I want him to play as much as possible, he went out for five minutes and he was incredible,” said the Blues boss.

“I want him to sustain that for a long time. When you’re out a long time, I don’t want him playing game, game, game.

“At Goodison they play with a lot of set-pieces, we are not a tall team so we wanted players for that.

“We put John (Stones) there and he showed me his personality. He is playing so good with and without the ball, that was the reason.

“We play another game and some important players are not going to play. That’s what it is.” concealed his desire to become full-time United manager and has now reiterated he is planning for both the short-term and long-term at Old Trafford.

“Every day I feel that I do help the club.

“I do put a little bit of my stamp on it,” Solskjaer said.

“We have a vision and a picture of how we want to look in a few years and, of course, we have to think longterm and also shortterm. And I’ve got a picture of what this Man United team should look in a couple of years.

“I don’t know if it’s with me, but I put my views to Ed and the club.

“I’ve supported Man United and I’ve followed Man United for many, many years since I’ve gone back home.

“And I did have a clear view on what I thought my opinion would be.”