Manchester City centre-back sustains pelvis and adductor injury confirms Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola has revealed the extent and nature of Manuel Akanji’s injury that could rule him out of the weekend’s derby day meeting with Manchester United.

The Premier League champions have a very realistic possibility of taking on the Old Trafford club at home with just three fully-fit defensive options within the senior ranks of their first-team squad.

John Stones remains sidelined through a foot problem, whilst Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji are continuing their respective recovery processes from muscular issues, adding to Rico Lewis’ suspension endured against Crystal Palace last weekend.

Pep Guardiola is more likely to deploy a tactical reshuffle of his squad at home to Manchester United on Sunday afternoon, but may also once again turn to Jahmai Simpson-Pusey – with the teenager trusted in big matches already this season against Sporting CP in particular.

Speaking ahead of the meeting with Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United on Sunday afternoon, Pep Guardiola was specifically quizzed on the fitness of Manuel Akanji, and the nature of the Swiss international’s injury at present.

“He has discomfort in the area of the pelvis, the adductor, and doesn’t feel good,” Guardiola revealed.

“He’s made an incredible effort playing at Bournemouth when him and Nathan [Ake] were not even half at their best, and it helped us to play there and at the end, he can play all the time, 45 minutes, 15 [minutes].

“He stepped back and said, ‘I have to recover otherwise I cannot be’. And Manu is a strong player, and so reliable, but in that moment cannot be there.”

Offering further detail on the injury frustrations of Nathan Ake this season, with the Dutchman once again sidelined through a suspected muscular problem, Pep Guardiola explained, “He played 90 minutes, and 90 minutes.

“Three days later after being on table massage, one month and a half [out injured]. Training one day and a half. And recovery training sessions, 90 minutes, and 90 minutes. If I had John [Stones], and I had Manu [Akanji], Nathan would play 90 minutes, and not play 90 minutes.

“And when the people say, ‘Why make the substitutions against Feyenoord on 75 minutes?!’ It was 3-0, and I have to take care of them, with their history like that.”

Elsewhere across the squad, Mateo Kovacic and Phil Foden are likely to be fully-available for selection having returned to matchday duties against Juventus in midweek, whilst Rodri and Oscar Bobb remain the long-term absentees.

It also remains to be seen who Pep Guardiola will turn to in the goalkeeper position, with Stefan Ortega Moreno starting a run of matches before dropping to the bench for Ederson on Wednesday night in Turin.