Manchester City’s dominance in the Premier League is under threat due to an alarming injury crisis.
City boss Pep Guardiola revealed that the club is in “real difficulties” with nine known injury problems and most players finishing games with fitness worries.
The injury list grew longer after Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.
Manuel Akanji suffered an injury during the pre-game warm-up, while Savinho was stretchered off in the second half.
Ruben Dias also struggled with a knock, forcing Guardiola to replace him at half-time.
Guardiola admitted: “We have 13 players, we are in real difficulties. The guys that play, they finish most of them with problems, and we’ll see how they recover.”
Guardiola jokingly stated that he would only have Erling Haaland and two goalkeepers available for the next day’s training.
The severity of the crisis led Guardiola to refrain from introducing Haaland as the team searched for an equalizer against Spurs. This cautious approach underscores the depth of City’s injury woes.
Guardiola acknowledged that this is the worst injury situation he has faced in his nine years at Manchester City.
He emphasized: “I think we are in trouble. The players must make a step forward, more together than ever, and we will try to do this week in this short time of recovery.”
Manchester City Injury List
Rodri’s long-term absence is well-documented, with the midfielder attending the Ballon d’Or ceremony on crutches following ACL surgery last month.
Kevin De Bruyne has been struggling with a pelvis injury for over a month but has been training for a few weeks, offering a glimmer of hope for his return.
Meanwhile, Oscar Bobb’s freak leg fracture ahead of the season’s opening league game has kept him out of action since August’s Community Shield. The young player’s recovery timeline remains uncertain.
The latest additions to the nine injury list include Savinho, who was stretchered off during City’s defeat to Tottenham, indicating a serious injury for the 20-year-old.
Jeremy Doku picked up a knock two weeks ago at Molineux and won’t play again before the November international break.
Josko Gvardiol’s head injury has ruled him out until late November, joining Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish, and Manuel Akanji on the sidelines.
The injury crisis raises concerns about City’s ability to maintain their Premier League dominance. With key players absent, that means Guardiola will have to rely on his squad’s resilience and adaptability to overcome this challenging period.
When is City playing Bournemouth in the Premier League?
Manchester City will travel to Bournemouth in the Premier League today, November 2nd with kickoff set at 16:00 GMT.
Thereafter, they have a midweek match in Lisbon against Sporting CP in the Champions League before playing Brighton & Hove Albion on November 9.
What are your thoughts on Manchester City’s current injury woes? Can they successfully defend their Premier League title this season?
How do you think Guardiola should adjust his tactics to ensure they are in a good position to retain the trophy?
Feel free to share your opinion in the comments section.
