The latest Man City injury news suggests that up to five players could be missing for the titanic clash with Liverpool on Sunday.
Pep Guardiola is enduring the worst run in his managerial career and now he is tasked with the unenviable task of trying to obtain a positive result at Anfield.
After overseeing five straight defeats in all competitions, City let a three-goal lead slip against Feyenoord on Tuesday night. The 3-3 draw means they are currently 17th in the Champions League table.
Domestically, the Cityzens are eight points adrift of this weekend’s hosts in the race for the Premier League title. Another defeat would surely see the pressure mount on Guardiola.
After the midweek draw with the Dutch champions, the Spaniard was seen with scratches on his head and nose owing to his side’s late collapse. After the match, he said: “I want to harm myself.”
On Thursday, the 53-year-old released a statement explaining how he didn’t mean to treat such a sensitive subject so lightly. Nonetheless, the City boss certainly has a lot on his plate at the moment.
Man City Injury News Worsens With Liverpool On The Horizon
With just 48 hours until the Liverpool game, the Man City injury news really doesn’t bode well for the champions. In total, up to five key players could be missing.
First and foremost, 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri will miss the rest of the campaign owing to a ruptured ACL suffered in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal in September. But, the player himself targets a return this season.
The Spaniard’s replacement is Mateo Kovacic. However, the Croatian picked up an unspecified injury whilst on international duty. A return date is pencilled in for late December.
Youngster Oscar Bobb won’t be featuring until at least January of February. The Norwegian starlet fractured his leg in pre-season.
Belgian winger Jeremy Doku is a major doubt after suffering a muscular problem with his quadriceps. Guardiola is likely to give an update on his condition in his pre-match press conference.
Defensively, John Stones is also a doubt after coming off with an ankle issue against Tottenham. The England centre-back didn’t feature at all against Feyenoord.
Meanwhile, Ruben Dias is set to return to the matchday squad in a boost for the champions. The Portugal star made the bench on Tuesday but wasn’t risked.
If ever there was a good time to face City, this could be the perfect opportunity. The rarity of injuries and poor form will swing the pendulum firmly in Liverpool’s favour.
Ahead of Sunday’s clash, the best football betting sites in the UK make the Reds the 23/20 match favourites. The draw is available at 11/4 with City available at 5/2.