5 Manchester City Players to Watch on International Duty Week of October 6

Another international break? Already?

Nothing so unwanted has been forced upon so many people since Songs of Innocence.

The next World Cup is almost four years away, and the best football leagues in the world are being shut down for the second time in a few weeks so national teams can play friendlies and qualifying games. If I didn't know any better, I would think Barack Obama was running FIFA.

Manchester City are one of the clubs most negatively affected by these breaks. Employing so many internationals, City invariably spend these enforced rests fretting over their players' health and safety.

Here are the five City internationals to keep tabs on while the bright lights of the Premier League are dark once again.

Sergio Aguero

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City just want Aguero to come back in one piece.

Argentina's international schedule will keep a manager up at night. Literally.

If Manuel Pellegrini wants to keep tabs on Aguero's health and whereabouts, he will need to watch Argentina take on Brazil after midnight.

And let's not kid ourselves. Matches between Argentina and Brazil are never all that friendly.

All Pellegrini and City want are for Aguero to do his duty safely and get home as soon as he can. For a City side already limping along with two or three healthy strikers (depending on Stevan Jovetic's health), any undue strain on Aguero while he is gone will be very unwelcome news.

Stevan Jovetic

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Jovetic was feeling pretty spry after his brace against Liverpool.

Speaking of Jovetic, he will be heading off to Liechtenstein with his Montenegrin teammates for a European Championship qualifier.

Aguero is the bigger worry for City, but Jovetic's health is probably the more fragile commodity. Jovetic only just recently became fit enough to again play for City.

Jovetic's cameo in City's Group E Champions League draw against Roma was ineffective, but he has had moments of brilliance this season. More to the point, City just need Jovetic to be healthy enough to spell Aguero and Edin Dzeko up front every now and then with Alvaro Negredo long gone.

As with Aguero, City will sweat Jovetic's fitness the entire time he is gone.

Joe Hart

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"What does a guy have to do to get some respect around here?"

Joe Hart may be under constant threat for his starting job at City, but he is still the man for England when international duty beckons.

England have qualifiers against San Marino and Estonia set for this week. Neither match projects to be a huge test for England, as evidenced by the fact that Hart is probably going to be sitting through the San Marino encounter.

If Pellegrini had his way, Hart might be sitting against Estonia, too. Hart played well against Aston Villa and seems to have responded well (at least from a performance standpoint) from the challenge to his City role from Willy Caballero.

City will learn absolutely nothing from anything Hart does during this international break.

Vincent Kompany

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Kompany (4 in red) was overextended on international duty in September.

Belgium have a European Championship Qualifier against Andorra set for later in the week. Andorra are not Argentina. They are not even the United States.

Then again, neither were Australia in September, and Kompany played the entire match against the Aussies despite serious questions about his fitness.

"The Manchester City defender had been a doubt for the international in Liege after limping out of training," wrote Dave Wood at the time for the Daily Mail.

That misuse did not rise to the level of Daniel Sturridge staggering back to Liverpool from England duty. But it wasn't exactly welcome news to Pellegrini and City, either.

Eliaquim Mangala

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Mangala (left) may play for the French this week.

City will hope for little use and safe passage for Aguero, Jovetic and Kompany on this most recent round of international duty. Hart is already believed to be sitting for England's first game of this break.

Conversely, City might well want Eliaquim Mangala to play for France against Portugal this week.

Mangala was a mystery to City and their supporters until making his debut against Chelsea. Since then Mangala struggled against Hull City, was benched for the Champions League match against Roma and then rebounded with a strong turn against Aston Villa.

Injury is always a risk, but with Mangala now fit and playing his way back into match shape some meaningful minutes against the Portuguese might serve City's interests more than seeing Mangala sit safely on the bench.