Manchester City seems to be at the last stretch of their struggles with injuries. More than half the season has gone by, as City sits in 3rd place in the Premier League. Currently, Manchester City’s injury concerns include Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Manuel Akanji, John Stones, Kalvin Phillips, and Scott Carson.
As for Eddie Howe’s men, they fell to a 4-2 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield in their last league encounter but bounced back with a 3-0 victory over arch-rivals Sunderland in the FA Cup last Saturday. Newcastle United will look ahead to their home fixture in the Premier League this weekend. Even though it’s a slight blip, some injuries have impacted Man City’s performances in recent games. Let’s delve into the latest updates on their conditions.
Erling Haaland
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Erling Haaland has been sidelined for over a month with an ankle injury. Speaking about the Norwegian striker’s progress, Pep Guardiola stated, “Erling is a little bit better, it’s bone, so we have to be careful. He’s done 2-3 sessions and feels good after.”
As for his return, Guardiola remains uncertain about Haaland’s availability for the match against Newcastle United on January 13th.
Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne, after a 5-month absence due to a hamstring injury, made his return in the FA Cup match against Huddersfield Town. However, it was not a full return, as he did not play for the entire 90 minutes. According to Guardiola, the Belgian is not yet fully prepared for a complete match.
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Although there is a strong possibility that he will make an appearance in the upcoming match against Newcastle, it is most likely that he will only come on as a substitute.
Manuel Akanji
Manuel Akanji is the latest concern in Pep Guardiola’s lineup due to an injury. During the FA Cup match, Akanji was seen clutching his legs after a sliding tackle on him and had to be substituted. Nevertheless, the promising news is that it appears to be a minor issue, and Akanji is anticipated to return against Newcastle United.
Bernardo Silva
Bernardo Silva was absent from the Manchester City roster in their match against Huddersfield Town. Contrary to concerns of an injury, the Portuguese midfielder could not participate because of illness. It is anticipated that he will also recover in time for his return against Newcastle United.
Kalvin Phillips
Kalvin Phillips, whose future at Manchester City has been uncertain, was also absent from the match against Huddersfield Town. Similarly to Bernardo Silva, Phillips has fallen ill and is expected to return on January 13th.
Scott Carson
Manchester City’s goalkeeper, Scott Carson, has also unfortunately contracted the virus. Like his teammates, he is expected to return to the team by January 13th.
John Stones
Jon Stones suffered a foot injury after attempting a tackle during the match against Everton last month. Initially, Pep Guardiola had concerns about the severity of the injury; however, his latest update is more optimistic. The Spanish manager stated, “He’s not training with us. He’s getting better but not training with us.”
It is expected that Stones will return on January 31st for the match against Burnley. With these positive updates, Guardiola can have his complete team back this month as long as no additional injuries occur.
Newcastle injury update
Concerning Newcastle, they have the worst injury concerns in this match against Man City, with nine players ruled out. Joelinton has a slim “25%” chance of playing, making his starting unlikely. In goal, Nick Pope’s injury sidelines him, leaving Martin Dubravka to continue unless a transfer occurs. Defenders Matt Targett and Javier Manquillo are also unavailable.
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The midfield is the worst position for Newcastle in terms of injuries as Joelinton, Elliot Anderson, and Joe Willock are out. Sandro Tonali is suspended. In attack, Callum Wilson’s absence means Alexander Isak will play, while Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes will be missing from the flanks.
Man City vs Newcastle lineups
The Predicted Newcastle lineup vs Man City: Dubravka; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Miley, Guimaraes, Longstaff; Almiron, Isak, Gordon.
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The Predicted Man City lineup vs Newcastle: Ederson; Walker, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; De Bruyne, Rodri, Foden; Doku, Alvarez, Grealish.
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