Manchester City have received an important update on the fitness of Manuel Akanji following his late withdrawal from the starting line-up against Tottenham this week.
The mainstay central defender in Pep Guardiola’s starting line-ups this season was selected to start against Ange Postecoglou’s side on Wednesday night alongside John Stones in the heart of the City defence.
However, upon emerging for the pre-match handshakes and various routines, it emerged that Akanji had withdrawn late and was replaced by Ruben Dias alongside Stones, with the Portugal international also taking the captain’s armband for the contest.
During his post-match press conference, Pep Guardiola told reporters, “In the last action, felt something in the muscular part of his body and today in the warm-up he didn’t feel good. He said, ‘No I can take a risk’, and I said, ‘No, no risk!'”
Now, speaking during a new interview with Sky Sports News’ Anton Toloui, Manuel Akanji has revealed his intention to be fit and available for City against Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon, whilst also revealing the reason why he pulled out of the midweek contest.
The 29-year-old told Sky Sports News that he is hoping to be back in Manchester City first-team training on Friday, and as such be ready for selection at the Vitality Stadium against Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.
The Switzerland international has revealed that he had pulled out of the Carabao Cup fourth round tie against Tottenham after feeling a tightness in his groin during the warm-up alongside his City teammates.
City are however continuing to await final assessments and scans regarding the injury sustained by Savinho at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, after the Brazilian was substituted in the second-half with an ankle problem and withdrawn with the aid of a stretcher.
Sources close to the player have told City Xtra that the injury is ‘nothing serious’ and ‘just a scare’, however many supporters will recall the initial positive feeling around Rodri’s knee injury sustained against Arsenal before the worst case scenario was later confirmed.
Pep Guardiola will provide an update on more than eight first-team stars when he faces the media on Friday afternoon, with Manchester City travelling to the south coast later on the same day.