Gareth Southgate defends his position as seven City players face potential absence in Arsenal match

By Willow Austin
Published on 2024-03-28 06:12:46

During the recent international break, Gareth Southgate made headlines by choosing to play several Manchester City players despite the injury crisis in Pep Guardiola’s squad. This decision raised questions, especially with the upcoming important matches against Arsenal and Real Madrid.

One of the key players affected by injuries was Kyle Walker, who picked up a hamstring injury during a friendly match between England and Brazil. As the Manchester City captain, his absence could have a significant impact on the team’s performance in the weekend match against Arsenal and the UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid. The extent of Walker’s injury was still unclear, but it was unlikely that he would be fit for the upcoming matches.

Another player who suffered an injury during the international break was John Stones, who was also subbed off in a similar manner during England’s friendly match against Belgium. This further added to Manchester City’s defensive woes ahead of the crucial fixtures.

In addition to Walker and Stones, Manu Akanji of Switzerland also faced injury concerns and might miss the Arsenal match. Similarly, Matheus Nunes of Portugal was unable to participate in his country’s last international match and was sent back to Manchester City for treatment along with Bernardo Silva and Ruben Dias, who left Portugal’s training camp prematurely.

Despite the concerns over playing injured players, Gareth Southgate defended his decision by pointing out that other top clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal also used key players in a similar manner during the international break. He emphasized that they measure everything and take into account the player’s condition before making such decisions. Southgate compared his actions to those of other national teams, indicating that it was not uncommon to use injured players in international matches.

Overall, the injury crisis at Manchester City posed a challenging situation for Pep Guardiola and his team, especially with important matches on the horizon. The decision to play injured players during the international break may have raised some eyebrows, but it was part of a strategic assessment of the situation. The upcoming matches against Arsenal and Real Madrid will be crucial for Manchester City’s success this season, and they will need all their key players fit and ready to perform at their best.