Nine times out of 10, if you utter the words 'international break' to a fan of a Premier League club, or even a manager for that matter, you'll be met with a groan, a sigh or some other negative response.
Many lament the risk of injuries and exhaustion faced by over-worked players travelling thousands of miles to play even more matches, or the fact that club coaches miss out on valuable time working with their players in the middle of the season.
Twelve Manchester City first-teamers went to represent their countries in the latest round of World Cup qualifiers and friendlies at a crucial point in the campaign that sees City embroiled in a tight title race and facing huge games in the Champions League.
