Early return
Abdukodir Khusanov is heading back to Manchester earlier than planned, and for Enzo Maresca, that might be no bad thing.
Uzbekistan's debut World Cup campaign is over after a 3-1 defeat to DR Congo, with Khusanov's side finishing bottom of Group K. Yoane Wissa and Fiston Mayele sent DR Congo through, while Uzbekistan leave without a point.
The timing works in City's favour. Plenty of the club's World Cup contingent are still alive in the knockout rounds, but Khusanov is free to start his recovery, review work and get a cleaner run at pre-season than several senior defenders still carrying tournament minutes.
The 22-year-old centre-back remains a live squad question. John Stones has spoken highly of Khusanov, which tells you the internal view of his potential, but Maresca now has to work out how quickly to bring him into a defensive setup that's changing after Pep Guardiola's departure.
There was a sharper lesson from Atlanta, too. ESPN reported that Khusanov was involved in the penalty incident from which Wissa levelled, a reminder that City's coaching staff will want calm decision-making in the box to sit alongside his aggression and recovery speed.
With Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and Marc Guehi all still in tournament mode, Khusanov's early exit is more than just disappointment. It gives Maresca a practical opening to start one individual rebuild before the rest of City's back line returns in staggered waves.