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Claude Puel has admitted he may have to look at whether to rest defender Harry Maguire to protect him from burnout.

Maguire’s rise has been so quick, so intense that he has become a crucial player for both City and England, but both must be wary of pushing the centre back too far as he racks up the appearances.

He played every minute of every Premier League game last season for City, as well as six cup games and internationals, and then immediately went away with England before playing all but 45 minutes of the seven games for Gareth Southgate’s men at the World Cup in Russia.

In total he made 56 appearances last season.

The 25-year-old was then given a three week holiday to recover from his exploits but after returning to pre-season training he was thrown straight back into the action for City within a week as the season kicked off at Manchester United.

While Southgate nurtured some of his stars from the World Cup during the recent international break because of the threat of fatigue, Maguire again played every minute of the games against Spain and Switzerland.

Not surprisingly, Maguire looked jaded in the 4-2 defeat to Bournemouth last Saturday, prompting Puel to admit it may be a situation he needs to manage.

“It is my responsibility to try to find a good balance about this,” said Puel.

“Perhaps some players did not have enough freshness and concentration because they were little tired with their travels.

(Image: Plumb Images/Getty Images)

“It is my responsibility to look perhaps at different players if they are tired but the player wants to play all the time of course. I need to have a good mind and think about this.”

However, the reality of the situation facing Puel and City right now is that they can’t afford to rest Maguire, who Puel himself has proclaimed as his best player.

Maguire has spoken about his desire to play, how he doesn’t want to train and would rather be on the pitch in the midst of the action, and while City must look at reducing his work load in training to protect him from burnout, there is simply no way he cannot be on the pitch for City at this moment in time.

Maguire has become too valuable to Puel and City, and while no player is indispensable, Maguire is as close as you are going to get.

With Wes Morgan serving a one-game suspension after his red card at Bournemouth, Jonny Evans’ slow start to his City career and Turkey international Caglar Soyuncu needing time to adapt to English football, Puel cannot even contemplate resting Maguire.

For England it is different. While Maguire’s rapid rise within the England camp has been impressive, Southgate is not short of defensive options and while he may plan to have Maguire in action next month for the glorified friendlies that are the Nations Cup clashes with Croatia and Spain, it may be in his own interests as well as City’s to say to Maguire; ‘go, get your slippers on and put your feet up for a week. You’re sitting this one out.’

(Image: Mike Egerton/PA Wire)

In the meantime, City will have to draw on all the artistry and expertise of their sports science boffins down at Belvoir Drive to help Maguire recover.

No doubt this week, with no midweek fixture, he will be camped inside the Cryotherapy chamber, put on ice like a giant Yorkshire popsicle, ready to return fresh to face Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

Let’s just hope they remember to thaw him out in time.