Pep Guardiola had one sure-fire way to avoid any unnecessary angst when England got down to business against Italy in their Euro 2024 qualifier at Wembley on Tuesday night.

With five Manchester City players strutting their stuff beneath the famous arch, their Catalan manager might have been best served turning off his TV and getting his family to hide the remote control.

And if that is what happened, Guardiola would have been mightily relieved by the time he flicked on the highlights.

Academy graduate Phil Foden pinpointed a return to form this season with an impressive display, while his fellow treble-winners Kyle Walker, John Stones, Kalvin Phillips and Jack Grealish also featured as England rubber-stamped their place at next summer's finals in Germany with two matches to spare.

It comes as no coincidence to see such a strong City flavour to this vibrant England side and the relative success they have had in reaching the latter stages in major international competitions together.

History makers with City last season, the quintet would become sporting immortals if they help football come home next summer, but that six-decade-long dream can be saved for another time.

Walker, Stones, Phillips, Foden and PS100million man Grealish are already back at City HQ and, while Euros qualification remains something to savour, it will be business as usual for them when the Premier League returns vs Brighton at the Etihad Stadium next up.

City will be out to end their 'losing run' in that showdown.

Guardiola and his star-studded champions set off like a train this season before Wolves and Arsenal pegged them back - if only momentarily - and the innovative Catalan will have been working around the clock to conjure up any way possible to stem this mini-slump.

But he might already have the blueprint.

Watching the classy Stones come through 60 minutes for England unscathed was a major plus point for Guardiola during the international break.

Often an unsung hero, the centre-back turned midfielder offered the treble-winners an unlikely X-factor last season with a surprise step into the engine room.

It was a hybrid position in which the 29-year-old excelled.

Showing composure, control and confidence in his own right, that tactical revamp enabled Guardiola to get another attack-minded player into his team.

That option has not been there for City with Stones absent due to several annoying injury setbacks this campaign, with the player totting-up only 112 minutes for his club before playing for England in midweek.

Stones lacing up his boots and remaining intact was the perfect result.

Great news for City and Guardiola, but perhaps not so for Walker - his teammate for club and country.

It was their newly-appointed captain who was sacrificed at crunch time last season when Guardiola entrusted Stones to move into midfield as he played Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake as a back-three.

For all the undoubted qualities he possesses, Walker was deemed 'unable' to perform that hybrid role and his main game-time from April onwards came at centre-back when Ake pulled up with a hamstring problem.

Walker was left out in the Champions League final - but did start the FA Cup showpiece against Manchester United.

That decision - along with a new contract to stave off interest from Bayern Munich this summer - highlighted how much Guardiola rates Walker for his service and continued impact.

However, increased exposure for him so far this season has coincided with Stones being unavailable and thus limiting City from deploying their unique system.

Walker and Stones - with trademark South Yorkshire grit and countless further qualities - have gone hand-in-hand throughout their City careers.

Yet they might now be competing for one spot.

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