Manchester City’s injury woes continue to pile up as they prepare for a crucial Premier League clash against Liverpool at Anfield this weekend. John Stones has emerged as a fresh injury doubt, adding to Pep Guardiola’s growing concerns ahead of what could be a pivotal encounter in the race for the title.
Stones, who was subbed off at half-time during City’s demoralizing 4-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, missed training on Monday, raising doubts about his availability for this weekend’s match against Liverpool and Tuesday’s Champions League fixture against Feyenoord. This latest setback comes as City’s injury list lengthens, with key players already sidelined for the Anfield trip.
Stones Joins a Lengthening Injury List
Despite the absence of Stones, there was a glimmer of hope for Guardiola as Ruben Dias and Jeremy Doku returned to full training after missing the Tottenham game. However, City’s injury issues extend far beyond Stones. The team will also be without midfield duo Rodri and Mateo Kovacic, as well as young talent Oscar Bobb, all of whom remain sidelined for the top-of-the-table showdown with Liverpool.
Rodri’s absence is particularly significant, with Guardiola himself acknowledging that the lack of his key transitional midfielder has played a major role in the team’s recent slump. The City manager has been forced to shuffle his tactics in recent weeks, even deploying attacking midfielder Ilkay Gundogan in a holding role to compensate for Kovacic’s injury.
“They are still not ready because they were injured. Our main player for transitions, Rodri is not there,” Guardiola said during his Monday press conference. He further explained, “I have to play with Gundo, who is an attacking midfielder and our best guy for arriving into the box but I have to play him as a holding midfielder because the other holding midfielder — [Mateo] Kova[cic] is injured.”
Guardiola’s adaptation has seen the likes of young midfielder Rico Lewis stepping up to help fill the void in midfield, but the absence of key players is clearly taking a toll on the team’s consistency.
A Fragile Squad Facing a Formidable Liverpool
City heads into the Liverpool fixture with an eight-point gap separating them from the league leaders, and Guardiola’s side will need to put their injury crisis aside if they are to challenge Jurgen Klopp’s formidable team. Although Liverpool will also be without key players like Alisson Becker, Diogo Jota, and Federico Chiesa, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s potential return from injury offers a boost for the Reds.
Guardiola remains optimistic despite the mounting difficulties, citing the team’s resilience and desire to keep pushing forward. The City boss insists that the hunger is still there, even if results have been hard to come by.
“It’s not because they are soft or they don’t want it or they are lazy. We had 26 shots on target and clear ones in front of the keeper — Vicario was exceptional,” Guardiola said. “What we have to do is insist. 26 [shots] is not enough? Create more, and try to concede fewer. One day we’re going to win a game and our mind will be clear.”
While Guardiola’s optimism remains, the mounting injury crisis and the lack of squad depth are undeniable. City’s relatively small roster, compounded by a reliance on an aging squad, is beginning to show cracks, with big-money signings like Matheus Nunes and Kalvin Phillips failing to make the impact expected.
“Rodri being out is a big miss but the current issues are about much more than just one individual, even if he is Ballon d’Or level,” remarked Liverpool.com.
Anfield Awaits
As Manchester City prepares for one of their most challenging fixtures of the season, Guardiola will be hoping for a much-needed recovery from his sidelined players, and perhaps, a change in fortunes. With Liverpool in excellent form, this upcoming clash at Anfield could go a long way in determining the direction of City’s season.
