Manchester City have an alarming injury crisis heading into this weekend.
ManchesterWorld Digest: The best headlines and highlights from us and around our city, sent every Friday
Sign up
Thank you for signing up!
Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to ManchesterWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.
Submitting...
Manuel Akanji has said he expects to be ready to face Bournemouth this weekend and should be back in training today (Friday).
The Swiss defender was named in the starting line-up at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday but had to pull out at the last minute after suffering from an injury niggle in the warm-up.
Speaking after the game, Pep Guardiola said: “Akanji yesterday in the last action felt something muscular in the meniscus and today in the warm-up he didn't feel good. He said he could take a risk but I said no.”
But Sky Sports have since revealed Akanji is hopeful of returning this weekend. Reporter Anton Toloui posted on X: “Chatted to Man City defender Manuel Akanji earlier. He’s hoping to be back in training tomorrow and ready for Bournemouth on Saturday.”
The 29-year-old was one of seven players that missed the Spurs defeat in the Carabao Cup, while Savinho had to be replaced after suffering a foot injury during the match. Guardiola also revealed that Ruben Dias has been ‘struggling’ recently.
The City boss is likely to give an update on the fitness of his squad in Friday’s pre-match press conference, but has already confirmed that Kyle Walker, Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish won’t be back. Rodri and Oscar Bobb are long-term absentees.
City may have lost their first match of the season in midweek, but head to the Vitality on the back of an unbeaten league record that stretches back nearly a year. Guardiola’s side are top of the table, having amassed 23 points from seven games.
As for the Cherries, they sit 11th in the table and have taken points off two top-four teams in the last two weeks. Andoni Iraola’s side beat Arsenal in their last home game before emerging from Villa Park with a point last week.