Having started 2024 in such impeccable form, the last thing Manchester City would have wanted is an injury crisis.
The 2022/23 treble winners slogged through the opening half of the season without Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland for large periods due to significant knocks.
While the fearsome duo are now back doing what they do best, injuries could still be a major factor in whether Pep Guardiola’s side charge over the finish line like they so often have before or are left limping towards the end of the campaign.
Here’s the current injury situation at the Etihad.
Jack Grealish looked distraught when he went down in Man City’s 3-1 win at Copenhagen, having been selected in Guardiola’s starting XI for the first time in six games. The 28-year-old appeared in pain as he walked off in the 21st minute, being replaced by Jeremy Doku.
“I didn’t speak with the doctor but it looks muscular with Jack,” Guardiola revealed after the game. “The last few days his mood in training was much better.
“He felt it on the grass and started to complain. The players can feel it immediately if it’s muscular. He wanted to continue but we didn’t want to make the damage even worse. We’ll take tests tomorrow [Wednesday].”
Bernardo Silva rarely misses large chunks of action for Man City, having made over 40 appearances in his first six seasons with the club.
There is concern over the Portugal international, however, after he suffered a blow to his ankle in Denmark.
“Bernardo has a big knock on his ankle,” Guardiola revealed.
The former Monaco playmaker could be back for Chelsea’s visit to the Etihad, but Guardiola certainly won’t want to be without his versatility for too long.
Summer signing Josko Gvardiol has had little issue slipping into Man City’s strongest XI since arriving from RB Leipzig, but the Croatian is currently sidelined with an ankle issue.
Guardiola said: “Josko is two or three weeks [out]. It’s ankle ligament.”
The 22-year-old, who has played regularly at both centre-back and left-back this season, last played in the 3-1 win at Brentford.
Gvardiol’s compatriot Mateo Kovacic is still finding regular starts with Man City tough to come by and wasn’t in the traveling squad for the first leg of their last 16 tie with Copenhagen. However, he is expected back in training before the Cityzens entertain his former club Chelsea.
“Kova could come back,” Guardiola said, though he frustratedly added: “Every game and training session we lose players and that is not good.”
Kovacic regularly missed games for Chelsea through knocks and will likely continue to play a back-up role to the likes of De Bruyne, Silva, Julian Alvarez and Rodri when fit.
