Injuries have struck Manchester City’s squad following their triumphant Premier League title win, according to Pep Guardiola. The Spanish manager revealed that Aymeric Laporte, Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, and Jack Grealish are all nursing injuries after City’s 1-0 victory over Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium, which secured them the Premier League trophy.
During the match, City took an early lead in the 12th minute when Cole Palmer capitalized on a midfield possession and delivered a precise pass to Julian Alvarez, who confidently struck the ball into the back of Chelsea’s net. Guardiola’s side managed to hold on to their slender lead, ensuring that their celebratory trophy-lifting ceremony followed a well-deserved win.
The confirmation of their title triumph came 24 hours prior to the Chelsea game when Nottingham Forest defeated Arsenal 1-0, simultaneously securing City’s top-flight status for another season. Guardiola’s focus now shifts to their upcoming clash with Brighton & Hove Albion at the AMEX Stadium on Wednesday night. However, ahead of the match, the City manager delivered concerning news regarding the injury status of Laporte, Akanji, Dias, and Grealish.
In an interview with Sky Sports just before kick-off, Guardiola stated, “No, they are not fit. I don’t know what happened but after winning the Premier League, many players got injured – three, four, five, all of them not fit. No Aymeric, Manuel, no Ruben, no Grealish. We’ll see how they recover in the next days.”
This update undoubtedly raises concerns as City continues their pursuit of a historic treble. Their immediate focus lies on the FA Cup final against Manchester United at Wembley on June 3, followed by the Champions League final against Inter Milan in Istanbul on June 10.
City will be hoping for the swift recovery of all four injured players, as their presence in the starting line-up would significantly bolster the team’s chances of securing further silverware before the end of the season. As the club aims to etch its name in history, the availability of Laporte, Akanji, Dias, and Grealish becomes crucial for Guardiola’s squad in these crucial upcoming fixtures.
