Pep Guardiola admits Man City star wasn’t fully fit vs Liverpool but started anyway

Redaction Simon Brett with Dan Murphy
Published on 2024-03-15 14:01:39

Pep Guardiola has confessed to starting a player who wasn’t completely fit against Liverpool, resulting in an injury for Manchester City. With a break from Champions League action until they face Real Madrid next month, the squad has had a much-needed rest. However, injuries are starting to pile up once again, with Jack Grealish still sidelined with a groin issue and Ederson joining him in the treatment room after a thigh injury in the Liverpool game.

Kevin De Bruyne also suffered a groin strain in the same match, ruling him out of the upcoming FA Cup tie with Newcastle United. Guardiola revealed that De Bruyne played despite carrying an injury ‘problem.’ The manager mentioned that the Belgian is not yet ready for the upcoming game and needs time to recover properly.

City may be missing three key players for the FA Cup tie, but Newcastle is facing a much more severe injury crisis. Manager Eddie Howe could be without up to nine first-team players, including Anthony Gordon who picked up an injury recently. Despite Newcastle’s tricky opposition in previous encounters this season, City should be confident of reaching the semi-finals given the Magpies’ depleted squad.

The heavy casualty list for Newcastle includes players like Callum Wilson, Harvey Barnes, and Nick Pope, among others. This gives City a significant advantage going into the match. With Guardiola’s revelation about De Bruyne’s injury and the depleted state of Newcastle’s squad, City fans can be hopeful of a successful FA Cup run.

Read Original article on Manchester City News