Manchester City Injury Updates
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that key defensive duo Kyle Walker and John Stones will miss Sunday’s title showdown with Arsenal.
- Kyle Walker suffered a hamstring injury in the early stages of England’s friendly with Brazil.
- John Stones picked up an adductor problem 10 minutes into the draw with Belgium.
Goalkeeper Ederson could return to the side after suffering a thigh injury, while Manuel Akanji has recovered from a knock on international duty with Switzerland. Guardiola will make a late decision on the fitness of Kevin de Bruyne.
Guardiola’s Comments on Injuries
“Ederson is much better but Kyle and John are out,” Guardiola said. “It is what it is. For Kyle it will be tougher than John in terms of recovery, but I don’t know for how many games he will be out.”
Guardiola would only say: “I don’t have any comments” when asked about Stones starting both England friendlies.
Preview of Title Showdown
Sunday’s game is the last of the season between the top three teams. Arsenal is currently top of the table on goal difference from Liverpool, with City a point behind.
Guardiola’s side remain in contention for a treble this season, with Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals and an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea upcoming.
“It’s good to be here and in contention for three titles after what happened last season,” Guardiola added. “We made incredible work. Every game is so important now.”
Previous Encounters with Arsenal
City won all three games against Arsenal last season but have faced challenges this campaign, including a defeat in the Community Shield and a loss at the Emirates in October.
Guardiola noted: “They control many aspects of the game and every time they are better and better. Consistency in ideas and management leads to improvement.”
