Royle purchased both Richard Dunne and Laurent Charvet to replace Edghill. However Manchester City were going through a bad run of form and on 1 January 2001 Edghill returned to the starting line up along with Andy Morrison. However Royle was unsure of his best team hence the choice of personnel was often erratic.
Royle substituted Richard Dunne and Laurent Charvet for Edghill. Manchester City were in a poor form during this period, with Edghill returning to the starting line-up on January 1, 2001, alongside Andy Morrison. Royle was uncertain about his best team, leading to inconsistent player selections.