Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola opens door for Eliaquim Mangala to leave in January

Manchester City will offer Eliaquim Mangala and their other fringe players the opportunity to leave the Etihad in the next six months if they are unhappy over their lack of playing time.

Mangala has not started a Premier League fixture this season but may come into contention for Wednesday's game at home to Southampton with John Stones injured and City weighing up the risk of playing captain Vincent Kompany three times in a week.

A £42million signing from FC Porto in 2014, the Frenchman spent last season on loan at Valencia but turned down a move to Crystal Palace in the summer when City chased West Brom's Jonny Evans as a replacement.

Mangala has 18 months left on his contract and manager Pep Guardiola insists he is happy for the player to stay. However, he will listen to Mangala's concerns in January and at the end of the season if he is unhappy with his first-team opportunities. The same is likely to apply to other fringe players like Yaya Toure and Claudio Bravo.

'He (Mangala) is a player for us and he will stay here,' said Guardiola. 'In the future, in the winter break and open window in the summer, we are going to assess everything, not just Manga. If you are happy or not, playing or not, you have to decide. He has to decide if he wants to stay here.

'He's a player with a lot of experience at a high level, Valencia, Porto, here, in the national team. I'm really impressed with his behaviour in the training sessions. Always a help, for a manager, a club, it's so important. He has specific qualities and in this league it's important. We are going to use him.

'He's always paying attention and wants to try to do it. He's always asking and trying to do what he has to do to improve our game.'

City go into the Southampton game on a run of 11 straight Premier League victories after Raheem Sterling's late winner at Huddersfield on Sunday maintained their eight-point lead at the top of the table.

It was the fifth time City have scored a decisive late goal this season, and Guardiola believes his team's ability to keep their cool under pressure has been vital.