Pep Guardiola will welcome back the 17 first-team players to his Manchester City squad who have been representing their country during September's international break.

A number of Citizens youngsters who are either within the club's academy or currently out on loan were also looking to impress for their respective nations this month.

Twenty one Man City players were spread out across Europe, while Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez travelled to Africa and the United States respectively.

Here, Sports Mole round up which Man City players were in action for their respective nations and how they fared on international duty.

England: Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, John Stones, Kyle Walker

Results:
September 23: Italy 1-0 England – UEFA Nations League (San Siro, Milan)
September 26: England 3-3 Germany – UEFA Nations League (Wembley Stadium, London)

John Stones missed England's defeat against Italy due to suspension, but he returned to the starting lineup for the thrilling draw with Germany and played in a back three.

However, the centre-back was forced off with a hamstring injury in the 37th minute, with Kyle Walker – who started and played for 72 minutes against Italy – coming on as his replacement.

Phil Foden started on the right side of a front three in both of England's final two Nations League matches, playing the full 90 minutes against Italy before coming off for Bukayo Saka in the 66th minute against Germany.

Meanwhile, Jack Grealish was brought on in the final 20 minutes against Italy, but a yellow card received in stoppage time banned him from the draw with Germany. England finished rock bottom of League A Group 3 and have been relegated to the second tier after failing to win any of their six games.

Portugal: Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva

Results:
September 24: Czech Republic 0-4 Portugal – UEFA Nations League (Sinobo Stadium, Prague)
September 27: Portugal 0-1 Spain – UEFA Nations League (Estadio Municipal de Braga, Braga)

Centre-back Ruben Dias helped Portugal keep a clean sheet in their comfortable win over the Czech Republic, while playmaker Bernardo Silva featured for 67 minutes on the right side of an attacking front three.

Joao Cancelo, meanwhile, was not involved in Prague due to suspension, but he returned to the starting lineup against Spain and played at right-back, next to Dias in central defence, with Bernardo retaining his place on the right flank.

All three players were unable to help Portugal come out on top against Spain, who snatched all three points in the 88th minute to finish top of League A Group 2 and book their place in the Nations League semi-finals at the host's expense.

Belgium: Kevin De Bruyne

Results:
September 22: Belgium 2-1 Wales – UEFA Nations League (King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels)
September 25: Netherlands 1-0 Belgium – UEFA Nations League (Johan Cruyff ArenA, Amsterdam)

Kevin De Bruyne played for over 90 minutes in Belgium's final two Nations League matches in which they finished with mixed results.

Against Wales, the 30-year-old playmaker scored the opener – his 25th goal for the national team – with a cool side-footed finish in the 10th minute, before he laid on an assist for Michy Batshuayi to net the second eight minutes before half time.

However, De Bruyne had less joy in front of goal against the Netherlands, who secured a slender 1-0 win to secure top spot in their Nations League group and progress to the semi-finals.

Germany: Ilkay Gundogan

Results:
September 23: Germany 0-1 Hungary – UEFA Nations League (Red Bull Arena, Leipzig)
September 26: England 3-3 Germany – UEFA Nations League (Wembley Stadium, London)

Ilkay Gundogan started in both of Germany's final two Nations League fixtures, but he was unable to help them finish any higher than third in League A Group 3.

The 31-year-old midfielder played for 69 minutes in the defeat against Hungary before he completed the full 90 minutes against England and scored the game's opening goal from the penalty spot seven minutes after half time.

Norway: Erling Braut Haaland

Results:
September 24: Slovenia 2-1 Norway – UEFA Nations League (Stozice Sports Park, Ljubljana)
September 27: Norway 0-2 Serbia – UEFA Nations League (Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo)

Erling Braut Haaland completed the full 90 minutes in both of Norway's Nations League matches, but he was unable to fire his country to victory against either Slovenia or Serbia.

The 22-year-old capitalised on a defensive mishap to score the opening goal against Slovenia, but he was kept quiet against Serbia, who claimed maximum points courtesy of strikes from Dusan Vlahovic and Aleksandar Mitrovic – both Haaland and Mitrovic are now tied at the top of the Nations League goalscoring charts and they are expected to share the Golden Boot award.

Haaland has now netted 21 times in 23 games for Norway across all competitions, with the 6ft 5in striker failing to score in two of his three appearances against Serbia.

Netherlands: Nathan Ake

Results:
September 22: Poland 0-2 Netherlands – UEFA Nations League (Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw)
September 25: Netherlands 1-0 Belgium – UEFA Nations League (Johan Cruyff ArenA, Amsterdam)

Nathan Ake played the full 90 minutes in a back three and helped Netherlands keep a clean sheet in their 2-0 win against Poland.

The 27-cap defender then started against Belgium before being taken off at half time. Ake's centre-back partner Virgil van Dijk scored the winner midway through the second half to help Netherlands finish top of League A Group 4 and advance to the semi-finals.

Spain: Rodri

Results:
September 24: Spain 1-2 Switzerland – UEFA Nations League (Estadio La Romareda, Zaragoza)
September 27: Portugal 0-1 Spain – UEFA Nations League (Estadio Municipal de Braga, Braga)

Rodri was an unused substitute in Spain's surprise defeat at home to Switzerland, with Sergio Busquets preferred ahead of him in the deep-lying midfield role.

However, the 26-year-old earned his 34th international cap against Portugal and played the full 90 minutes in their narrow win in Braga, finishing the game with two tackles, two interceptions, three clearances and a 92.8% pass accuracy.

La Roja finished top of League A Group 2 of the Nations League and have progressed to the semi-finals for the second successive campaign.

Switzerland: Manuel Akanji

Results:
September 24: Spain 1-2 Switzerland – UEFA Nations League (Estadio La Romareda, Zaragoza)
September 27: Switzerland 2-1- Czech Republic – UEFA Nations League AFG Arena, St Gallen)

Manuel Akanji put in a man-of-the-match display to help Switzerland record an impressive 2-1 victory over Spain. The centre-back headed home his first international goal in the 21st minute before providing an assist for Breel Embolo in the second half.

Switzerland claimed their second successive win by the same scoreline against the Czech Republic, but Akanji was not involved due to suspension.

After losing their opening three games in League A Group 2, Akanji and co ended their Nations League campaign on a high and they managed to avoid relegation to League B, finishing five points clear of fourth-placed Czech Republic.

Brazil: Ederson

Results:
September 23: Brazil 3-0 Ghana – Friendly (Stade Oceane, La Havre)
September 27: Brazil 5-1 Tunisia – Friendly (Parc des Princes, Paris)

Ederson was an unused substitute in both of Brazil's friendly victories over Ghana and Tunisia, with Liverpool's Alisson Becker preferred between the sticks.

The 29-year-old is City's undisputed number-one goalkeeper, but he has only played in two of Brazil's last 14 internationals across all competitions.

Argentina: Julian Alvarez

Results:
September 25: Argentina 3-0 Honduras – Friendly (Hard Rock Stadium, Florida)
September 28: Jamaica 0-3 Argentina – Friendly (Red Bull Arena, New Jersey)

Julian Alvarez was handed just his third international start against Jamaica and the forward scored the game's opening goal when he poked home a cross from Lisandro Martinez in the 13th minute. The 22-year-old came off in the 79th minute before Lionel Messi bagged two goals in the final five minutes.

In the first game against Honduras, Alvarez began on the substitutes' bench but came on at half time and operated as a centre-forward in between Messi and Thiago Almada.

Algeria: Riyad Mahrez

Results:
September 23: Algeria 1-0 Guinea – Friendly (Oran Olympic Stadium, Belgaid)
September 27: Algeria 2-1 Nigeria – Friendly (Oran Olympic Stadium, Belgaid)

Riyad Mahrez helped Algeria come from behind to beat Nigeria, with his equaliser from the penalty spot on the stroke of half time followed by a second-half winner from Youcef Atal.

The 31-year-old played for 84 minutes against Nigeria, while he came off the bench in the 66th minute in the slender win over Guinea.

Mahrez has now scored 27 goals for Algeria in 77 appearances, and his strike against Nigeria ended a six-game drought without finding the net on the international scene.

England Under-21s: James Trafford, Cole Palmer, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Luke Mbete, Tommy Doyle, James McAtee

Results:
September 22: Italy Under-21s 0-2 England Under-21s – Friendly (Stadio Adriatico, Pescara)
September 27: England Under-21s 3-1 Germany Under-21s – Friendly (Bramall Lane, Sheffield)

All six Man City youngsters were given minutes during this month's international break, with centre-back Taylor Harwood-Bellis – on loan at Burnley – the only one to start in both matches.

Harwood-Bellis, who wore the captain's armband, was replaced in both games by Huddersfield Town loanee Luke Mbete in the closing stages.

Meanwhile, Cole Palmer played for 72 minutes in the win over Italy before coming off the bench to slot home England's third goal against Germany in second-half stoppage time.

Sheffield United loanee Tommy Doyle came on as a substitute for the final 20 minutes in both fixtures, while James McAtee – also on loan with the Blades – was an unused substitute against Italy before coming on for Conor Gallagher in the 70th minute at Bramall Lane.

Goalkeeper James Trafford watched on from the bench against Italy, but the Bolton Wanderers loanee was handed just his second Under-21s appearance in the win against Germany.

Northern Ireland: Shea Charles

Results:
September 24: Northern Ireland 2-1 Kosovo – UEFA Nations League (Windsor Park, Belfast)
September 27: Greece 3-1 Northern Ireland – UEFA Nations League (Georgios Kamaras Stadium, Athens)

Northern Ireland managed to claim three points from their final two Nations League matches and avoid relegation to League D, but 18-year-old defender Shea Charles was not involved in either game this month.

Charles had featured in all of the previous four Nations League matches, including his debut at home to Greece in June, but he was not called upon from the substitutes' bench this time around.