Pep Guardiola Provides Key Update on Player Fitness ahead of Arsenal Match

Redaction Willow Austin
Published on 2024-03-29 12:44:02

Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, has provided an important update on the fitness of his players ahead of the upcoming Premier League clash with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Guardiola faced a challenging international break with his Manchester City squad, as several key players suffered injuries during friendlies, disrupting the team’s plans for the upcoming matches.

Manchester City is set to host Arsenal in a crucial top-of-the-table Premier League match this Sunday, marking the beginning of a busy period with 10 matches scheduled across three competitions until the end of April.

This season, Manchester City has already suffered two defeats to Arsenal, losing in the FA Community Shield at Wembley Stadium and in the reverse Premier League fixture at the Emirates Stadium in October.

Despite being undefeated since early December in all competitions, Manchester City faced a setback during the international break with defensive injuries to Kyle Walker, John Stones, and Manuel Akanji, as well as fitness concerns for Erling Haaland and Matheus Nunes.

In addition, Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson, and Jack Grealish missed international friendlies due to fitness issues, with Grealish remaining at the City Football Academy for rehabilitation after being omitted from the England squad.

De Bruyne, Ederson, Akanji, Grealish, and Nunes participated in a first-team training session, with Guardiola providing a significant fitness update ahead of Sunday’s match against Arsenal.

Guardiola confirmed that Walker and Stones will miss the clash against Arsenal due to injuries sustained while playing for England, while Ederson’s condition has improved but his starting position for the weekend is uncertain.

Akanji is reportedly “ok” according to Guardiola, with Grealish also available for selection.