-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited) Pep Guardiola has disclosed that all players at Manchester City are having difficulties with their fitness as injuries continue to affect their season. The Blues are set to miss Nathan Ake for the upcoming match against Crystal Palace, while Phil Foden remains unavailable due to bronchitis. Manuel Akanji’s condition […]
Pep Guardiola has disclosed that all players at Manchester City are having difficulties with their fitness as injuries continue to affect their season.
The Blues are set to miss Nathan Ake for the upcoming match against Crystal Palace, while Phil Foden remains unavailable due to bronchitis. Manuel Akanji’s condition will be evaluated prior to the match after he was substituted at halftime during the game against Nottingham Forest. John Stones, Rodri, Mateo Kovacic, and Oscar Bobb are sidelined with long-term injuries.
However, while commending Jack Grealish’s performance in a central position against Forest, Guardiola noted that the 29-year-old’s future in the lineup hinges on his performance in upcoming matches. When asked for details on whether Grealish was carrying an injury, the City manager implied that the entire team is currently facing fitness struggles.
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“Every player is currently wrestling with fitness levels. This includes injured players and those available. Therefore, it all depends on how they will feel for the next game,” he stated.
Guardiola appeared disheartened following Wednesday’s 3-0 victory over Forest due to the injuries suffered by Akanji and Ake. His mood was similarly somber on Friday as he discussed the upcoming match at Selhurst Park.
If Akanji is not fit to play, Guardiola will rely solely on Ruben Dias as a senior centre-back option, despite Dias just returning from injury and having already played two full games this week.
Both Grealish and Kevin De Bruyne have been recently managing fitness concerns, and Guardiola has only been able to field an unchanged squad three times this season.
“In the past, I tended to rotate frequently. This season has been different due to our lack of players,” he explained. “We lost two holding midfielders and have been short in centre-backs.”
“Now that our numbers are back, we face another challenge. We have four defenders available for the upcoming match. The real test is how to manage this situation; it’s quite a significant challenge. You go without winning for a while, then face a setback, and now it’s time to push forward.”
