Manchester City Receives Three Injury Boosts and New Concerns Ahead of Arsenal Match- Manchester City has received a significant injury boost ahead of their crucial Premier League clash against Arsenal, with Kyle Walker, Kevin De Bruyne, and Jack Grealish expected to be available.
Walker suffered a hamstring problem against Brazil on Saturday and was forced to come off in the 20th minute, raising concerns over his availability for the game against Belgium. However, initial scans suggest that the injury is not serious, and Walker could be fit to start against Arsenal on Sunday.
This would be a major boost for Pep Guardiola’s side as they aim to leapfrog Arsenal and intensify their bid for a fourth successive Premier League title.
Key Facts
- Manchester City has received a significant injury boost with the expected return of Kyle Walker, Kevin De Bruyne, and Jack Grealish.
- Kyle Walker’s hamstring injury is not serious, and he could be fit to start against Arsenal.
- Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish are expected to be available for the Arsenal match, with Grealish making progress towards full fitness.
- Manuel Akanji has been forced to withdraw from the Switzerland squad due to a knock, raising concerns about his availability for the Arsenal match.
- Ederson’s muscle injury will be assessed ahead of the Arsenal match, potentially affecting his availability.
Kevin De Bruyne, who withdrew from the Belgium squad after picking up a groin problem, was pictured in City training on Monday. The 32-year-old midfielder last featured during their 1-1 draw against Liverpool on March 9. Jack Grealish, who was not included in the latest England squad, also trained with the rest of his City teammates on Monday as he continues his battle to full fitness after a groin problem. The former Aston Villa winger was back on the bench against Newcastle before the international break but didn’t feature.
However, Manchester City preparations for the Arsenal match have suffered another setback with news of a fifth player withdrawing from international duty. Ederson, Kevin De Bruyne, and Jack Grealish had all been made unavailable or withdrawn from squads ahead of the current international break, with Pep Guardiola hoping all three would be back in training this week.
Kyle Walker limped out of England’s friendly with Brazil at the weekend and is expected to be back in time to take on Arsenal, but his hamstring injury will be assessed upon his return to City. Now, his possible replacement against Arsenal, Manu Akanji, has become the fifth player to pull out of an international fixture.
Akanji picked up a knock in Switzerland’s friendly with Belgium and missed training on Monday ahead of their away game at Ireland on Tuesday. Reports suggest Akanji has been left out of the Swiss matchday squad and will not play any part in the game.
Manchester City’s players are due to report back to the club on Thursday ahead of the Arsenal showdown, where Guardiola will assess the state of his squad. Erling Haaland revealed that Guardiola jokingly told his players he would ‘come after them’ if they got injured during the international break, having previously told them publicly to be sensible over their workload ahead of a busy schedule for City.
Despite the injury concerns and the withdrawal of players from international duty, Manchester City remains optimistic about their chances against Arsenal, with the potential availability of key players like Walker, De Bruyne, and Grealish providing a significant boost to their squad.
