Pundit says £47m Man City star’s injuries may have caused a big problem for Pep Guardiola this season

Redaction Simon Brett with Srinivas Sadhanand
Published on 2024-02-18 17:30:00

Football analyst Julien Laurens suggested that the repeated injuries suffered by John Stones may have posed a significant challenge for Pep Guardiola this season. Despite this, Stones was fit and available for City’s game against Chelsea, having started the match against Copenhagen in the Champions League a few days earlier.

Stones, who was signed for £47 million, seemed set to feature in the game against Chelsea, but was unexpectedly benched in favor of Manuel Akanji. Concerns have been raised over Stones’ fitness, as he has only started 10 games in all competitions this season due to recurring injuries. In contrast, he played 34 matches in the previous season.

Laurens believes that Stones’ fitness issues may have caused trouble for Guardiola in setting up his team during his absence. He also suggested that Stones’ injuries prevented Guardiola from utilizing him in a hybrid role, similar to how he was utilized in the previous season.

The decision to rest Stones against Chelsea may have been influenced by these concerns. Guardiola may have been cautious about risking losing him to another injury, especially given City’s position in the later stages of the season. Akanji’s underwhelming performance in the game provided evidence that he is not a suitable replacement for Stones. Guardiola may have resisted the temptation to bring Stones off the bench, considering the bigger picture of the season.

The impact of Stones’ fitness on City’s chances of winning silverware in the Premier League and the Champions League cannot be underestimated. Whether he can stay fit and become a regular starter could be crucial in determining City’s success in the remainder of the season.

Read Original article on Manchester City News