Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has taken the blame for the lack of playing-time summer arrival Riyad Mahrez has had this season.
Mahrez has spent most of the campaign on the substitutes bench for City since his record £60m signing from Leicester City in the summer.
The Algeria winger has not started a Premier League match since the win over Southampton on December 30.
The form of Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Leroy Sane has prevented the former Leicester title-winner getting into Guardiola's first XI.
"I am the reason (he hasn't played)," Guardiola admitted. "He is absolutely not guilty.
Image via The National
"I am sad because he is training incredibly. He is an incredibly talented player but in this moment we have five strikers. In the last games, Leroy hasn't played.
"We have incredible players, like for example Bernardo and Raz in top, top form and that is the only reason why.
"There's no particular reason, like being upset or something like that. He is a guy we are happy with but unfortunately I am not kind with him.
"In fact, I cannot give him the minutes he deserves, so I'm sorry. That's all I can say."