Redaction Willow Austin with Freddie Pye
Published on 2024-02-16 12:45:24
Pep Guardiola has confirmed that two members of his first-team squad will not be available for Manchester City’s match against Chelsea this weekend.
Manchester City has the opportunity to move into the position of outright Premier League leaders by securing two successive wins, with a game in hand against Brentford coming next week. City is currently on a run of 11 successive wins across all competitions.
Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne have returned from injury and have provided a boost to the team, but Guardiola and his coaching staff have been hit by a fresh wave of fitness concerns this week due to injuries sustained during training and in first-team action in European competition.
Guardiola confirmed that Jack Grealish will be ruled out for the weekend as he is unsure of his rehabilitation period, joining Josko Gvardiol on the sidelines.
Grealish is likely to be ruled out for two to three weeks after sustaining a groin problem during the 1-3 win against Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League.
Bernardo Silva will be subject to a late fitness assessment following a heavy knock to his ankle in Copenhagen on Tuesday night, while Mateo Kovacic and Sergio Gomez have returned to City training.
The club is preparing for challenging fixtures across multiple competitions, with FA Cup, Premier League, and UEFA Champions League matches on the horizon.
Guardiola’s team will feel confident going into their UEFA Champions League last-16 second-leg match after picking up a 1-3 win on the road at Parken on Tuesday night. City is also preparing for matches against Luton Town, Manchester United, and Liverpool later in the month.
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