Teams in the Premier League will be cautious of Manchester City, which is slowly showing signs of making a strong comeback this season. As the club prepares for a crucial match against Chelsea FC, the manager will aim to field his best eleven players. It has been a while since the club started Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland together, but last week they finally did against Everton. However, there are more injury updates regarding the rest of the squad, except for Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic.
With the possibility of winning trophies on the horizon, Manchester City is facing a crucial phase in their season. However, their progress is overshadowed by the injuries suffered by key players. Can they recover in time to achieve success, or will the team’s medical room be their downfall? Here are the latest updates.
The Portuguese midfielder suffered an ankle injury during the match against Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League round of 16. Earlier, Guardiola mentioned, “Bernardo took a significant blow to the ankle. Hopefully, it’s not a major issue, but we’ll see.” However, reports suggest that the midfielder has recovered. It will be interesting to see if Pep decides to play him against the strong Chelsea team, considering his concerns.
The English international made a comeback against Copenhagen but was substituted just 21 minutes after sustaining a groin injury. This is the player’s second injury setback this season, following a hamstring injury in September. Despite that, Grealish has been a regular starter for Manchester City, playing 26 games this season. Currently, his condition is being evaluated, and further tests are expected. As of now, the date of his return is uncertain.
The former Chelsea player has been absent for a week due to undisclosed reasons. According to reports, he is available for selection in the team. Pep previously mentioned that he is being observed, and there is a 50% chance of him making a comeback. The final decision will be made after the training sessions. Guardiola stated, “Thursday or Friday, he will train with us, and we will assess how he feels.”
The Croatian defender joined England after an impressive season with RB Leipzig. Despite performing well this season, he suffered an unexpected ankle ligament injury. Gvardiol was on the bench against Everton and was not included in the squad for the Champions League match against Copenhagen. The Manchester City manager expects him to be sidelined for at least 2-3 weeks.
Despite the injuries to some key players, Manchester City will still be considered a strong team. They will be favorites when they play at the Etihad on Saturday.
According to the Source essentiallysports.com