Pep Guardiola provides damning Jack Grealish fitness verdict ahead of Manchester United and Liverpool fixtures

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Published on 2024-03-01 13:06:12

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has provided an update on the fitness of forward Jack Grealish that has raised concerns. The treble-winners are set to face local rivals Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium this Sunday, kicking off a crucial month of Premier League fixtures that includes matches against title contenders Liverpool and Arsenal. Currently, Manchester City is part of a tight three-team battle at the top of the table, with just two points separating them from Liverpool and Arsenal.

Guardiola’s side, who are on an 18-match unbeaten streak, will face Liverpool next week but first, they have a derby clash against Manchester United. This comes after a dominant 6-2 victory over Luton Town in the Emirates FA Cup, where Erling Haaland scored an impressive five goals. The cup match also marked Jack Grealish’s return from injury, but unfortunately, he suffered a fresh setback and had to be substituted in the first half.

As a result of this new injury, Grealish is expected to be sidelined for an unknown period of time, casting doubt on his availability for upcoming key matches in both the Premier League and FA Cup quarter-finals. Guardiola mentioned that Grealish is unlikely to return before the international break, ruling him out of four upcoming fixtures.

In addition to the important league matches, Manchester City will also face Newcastle United in the FA Cup quarter-finals and FC Copenhagen in the Champions League last-16 second leg. With a 3-1 aggregate lead in the Champions League tie, City will look to secure a spot in the quarter-finals of the European competition.

Despite setbacks, Guardiola remains optimistic about Grealish’s recovery and his eventual return to action. The team will need to navigate these crucial fixtures without the influential forward as they aim to continue their pursuit of a record-breaking fourth successive Premier League title.

Read Original article on City Xtra