Sure Win
Manchester City’s Growing Injury Crisis: Pep Guardiola revealed that Manchester City faces a challenging period, with the squad reduced to “13 players” due to a series of injuries following their League Cup defeat to Tottenham on Wednesday. Already missing six first-team players before the game, City saw further setbacks as defender Manuel Akanji withdrew during warm-ups with a calf injury. Later, forward Savinho was stretchered off in the 63rd minute after an ankle injury, and defender Ruben Dias, who played the first half, was also reported to be “struggling.”
Injury Troubles Deepen for City
Guardiola described the situation as one of the worst he has seen in his nine years, stating, “We have 13 players; we are in real difficulties.” He acknowledged the relentless commitment of the players but voiced concerns about the toll on the squad, saying, “The guys that play, they finish most of them with problems, and we’ll see how they recover.”
City’s injury list has only grown over the season, starting with defensive midfielder Rodri, who will miss the rest of the season due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament suffered in September. Attacking midfielder Oscar Bobb is also sidelined after fracturing his leg in August, with an estimated recovery of three to four months. Kevin De Bruyne’s thigh injury has kept him out longer than anticipated, and Kyle Walker’s knee injury remains without a defined return date. Meanwhile, forwards Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish have been unavailable in recent matches, with Doku not expected back until after the November international break.
Limited Options and Youth Dependence
Before the game against Tottenham, Guardiola’s limited roster led him to name only seven substitutes against Southampton, including two goalkeepers. Following the Tottenham match, he explained, “Tomorrow we have two goalkeepers and Erling Haaland in the training session. The rest, we don’t have anything else.” Excluding the injured, City’s active first-team players consist of 13 outfield players, including defenders Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Rico Lewis, John Stones, and Josh Wilson-Esbrand (who has yet to make a first-team appearance), midfielders Phil Foden, Ilkay Gundogan, Mateo Kovacic, James McAtee, Matheus Nunes, and Bernardo Silva, and forward Erling Haaland.
Impact on Manchester City’s Season
Despite being at the top of the Premier League and unbeaten in European competition, City has been knocked out of the League Cup. Guardiola cautioned that prolonged injuries could hinder the team’s ability to compete across multiple tournaments. “For sure, if these guys don’t come back as quick as possible, we’ll struggle, because we cannot sustain with just 14, 15 players for the season,” he noted, emphasizing the importance of getting the sidelined players back to full fitness soon.
The next few weeks will be crucial for City as they look to navigate a demanding fixture list with a depleted squad, hoping their injured players can return promptly to bolster their title pursuits across competitions.
