Manchester City moved up to third in the Premier League after a last-gasp 2-1 win over struggling Swansea on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola’s men looked set to drop more points at the Etihad Stadium when Gylfi Sigurdsson equalised for the visitors nine minutes from time, but striker Gabriel Jesus, who netted the opener, scored in the first minute of added time to secure the three points for the Citizens.

They took advantage of defeats for both Arsenal and Liverpool to move back into the top four, although they remain ten points behind leaders Chelsea after Antonio Conte’s men got the better of the former 3-1 at Stamford Bridge.

Nonetheless, things are certainly looking up for Guardiola and his men, who have now lost just one of their five Premier League matches in 2017, and are unbeaten in their last five games at the Etihad.

New signing Jesus has certainly made a difference to illustrate the advantages of bringing someone in mid-season, but January is also a time for some players to consider their futures at their respective clubs.

Some at City may have been thinking that last month, and here are TWO players that should have left the club in January…

Fabian Delph

England international Fabian Delph has yet to make a Premier League start this season, and he doesn’t look like making one any time soon.

In fairness, the 27-year-old did struggle with injuries in the early phase of the campaign, and did appear in three of City’s first four games of the campaign before sustaining a groin injury, one he needed surgery for in the autumn.

Delph has been in and around the squad in recent weeks, starting the 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace in the FA Cup a few weeks back, yet you sense that he’s not going to dispose the likes of Yaya Toure and Fernandinho in Guardiola’s first team, even if Ilkay Gundogan is out for the rest of the season.

Thus, he was linked with Championship duo Newcastle and Leeds in January, the latter of which where he began his professional career back in 2006, and it’s a move that would have been hugely beneficial to Delph given that he would have got regular first team football, which is perfect rehabilitation after a long injury.

Yet, he remains at the Etihad Stadium with a highly unlikely chance of breaking into Guardiola’s first team.

Vincent Kompany

He was the player that held the Manchester City backline together for many years, yet Vincent Kompany’s persistent injury issues look set to blight his career.

The Belgian international has been restricted to just 28 appearances over the last two seasons, of which only six have come this season under new manager Guardiola.

Every time Kompany looks set to return to the side, he is dealt another injury blow, exemplified when he lasted just 37 minutes on his return to action in the 2-1 win over Crystal Palace back in November.

And, with John Stones, Nicolas Otamendi, and Aleksandar Kolarov seemingly in front of him in the pecking order, there’s no guarantee that, even if Kompany were to return to full fitness, that he’d be a reliable option for Guardiola.

The City boss said last month that he’s not sure if he’ll ever get back to his very best, which suggests that he himself has reservations about Kompany’s future at the club.

Thus, a loan spell away from the Etihad may have been beneficial for the centre-back as he looks to build up his fitness once again, especially if Guardiola can’t offer him regular minutes at City.