Manchester City will be put to the sword this Thursday as they travel to the American Express Stadium to take on Brighton & Hove Albion. Pep Guardiola‘s side has been fatigued, with the team playing seven fixtures in just 24 days. It looks like the fixture congestion has taken a toll on the players, with some crucial names absent from the team’s training session. According to reports, Erling Haaland and Phil Foden missed practice at the Etihad. Is this how things go downhill for the defending champions?
Erling Haaland picked up a muscular injury during the UCL quarterfinals clash against Real Madrid, missing the team’s FA Cup semifinal against Chelsea. The striker’s absence is a massive blow for the team, considering Pep Guardiola’s side is locked in a three-way race for the Premier League title. The Norwegian could miss the game against Brighton, forcing Pep to deploy Julian Alvarez up top yet again.
Meanwhile, Phil Foden’s absence raises multiple concerns. The Englishman has been playing with a fractured finger for the past few weeks and was present on the field for 90 minutes against Chelsea. Foden has done a sensational job in stepping up to the challenge in Kevin De Bruyne’s absence. However, his unavailability could create new headaches for the manager.
While there has been a string of gloomy news around the camp, there is some positive news. Despite fans being concerned over John Stones’ status, the defender was present with the team during the training session. The Englishman was subbed off against Chelsea at half-time, raising questions over his fitness. Pep Guardiola sympathized with his players after the Chelsea clash, voicing his concerns over the fixture crunch.
Pep Guardiola raises questions over Manchester City’s schedule
The Spaniard was unhappy despite his team’s win over Chelsea last week. The Manchester City boss was seen fuming after being asked to take to the field just 48hrs after their hard-fought loss against Real Madrid. While talking with the broadcasters following the game, Guardiola stated, “It’s unacceptable. Coventry, Chelsea, [Manchester] United didn’t play in the week, and they let us play today. Next week, on Friday, would be better. Instead of Saturday, put it on Friday, it would be better. It’s impossible; for the health of the players. It’s not normal, it’s not possible.”
Despite Pep’s lengthy rant, it doesn’t seem the English Football Association has any plans to change their schedule. However, with the season in its business end, it will be crucial to see how teams manage the workload of their players, with a lot at stake in the coming weeks!