Manchester City rocked as John Stones and Kyle Walker to miss title showdown with Arsenal
Manchester City have suffered a double injury blow before their title showdown against Arsenal with John Stones and Kyle Walker ruled out.
City’s setback comes as Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes are all in contention to feature for Arsenal on Sunday despite initial concerns over their fitness.
Pep Guardiola appeared a frustrated figure after City’s key defenders started both of England’s games against Brazil and Belgium during the international break given they were friendlies and that no account was taken to City’s hectic schedule as they chase a second successive Treble. England manager Gareth Southgate defended picking Stones and pointed out that other players in the title race also played twice for their countries during the break.
Walker is facing several weeks out after he pulled a hamstring after only 20 minutes of the 1-0 defeat by Brazil at Wembley on Saturday evening.
Stones played the full 90 minutes in that game but lasted only 10 minutes of Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Belgium before pulling up with a groin injury that is likely to rule him out for several games.
Asked to comment on the decision to start Stones – who has suffered a long list of injuries in his career – in both games a tight-lipped Guardiola said: “I don’t have any comments on that. Kyle and John are out. It is what it is.”
He also refused to give timescales on the injuries, adding: “Kyle is tougher than John but I don’t know how many games.”
Guardiola will have noted also that Phil Foden played the full 90 minutes in both friendlies that were more intense than usual, given the quality of the opposition.
Foden appears to have come though unscathed – although fatigue may be a factor – but the absences of Walker and Stones are a real blow for Guardiola at the start of a hectic spell of fixtures when City will play twice a week throughout April.
Sunday’s showdown is followed by a home game against Aston Villa on Wednesday and a trip to Crystal Place before the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final in Spain against Real Madrid which falls three days before their FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have wholly better news on the injury front as all of their internationals returned unscathed.
Manager Mikel Arteta also revealed those players who were struggling for fitness should all be in contention to feature for the league leaders.
Saka withdrew from the England squad with what Southgate termed a “hamstring problem” while Gabriel did not feature for Brazil with an Achilles complaint.
When asked if the pair, along with Martinelli who has been recovering from a deep cut on his foot suffered in the win at Sheffield United, could play on Sunday, Arteta replied: “Yes there is a chance.
“They haven’t trained. Tomorrow [Saturday] we have another session, so there is a chance they can be available.”
Declan Rice, meanwhile, played every minute of England’s two friendlies – captaining the Three Lions for the first time in the draw with Belgium.
Arteta believes the timing of the March international break needs to be looked at, coming as it does at a crucial period of the domestic campaign.
“I think that in general the whole calendar has to be looked at because there are a lot of games,” he said.
“That [March internationals] is a topic that we all know and it doesn’t look like we’re going to affect it in the right way. You see a lot of players and a lot of games in this international break with different circumstances.”
Meanwhile, Ben White played no part for England having told Southgate he was making himself unavailable for selection.
“I think he has received a lot of love,” Arteta said about the reaction to Southgate confirming White’s decision.
“You just have to see what his team-mates and everyone in football thinks of him especially the ones who have been close to him.
“I think people have respected his decision. Hopefully he’s prepared to represent his country in the best way possible one day. But that’s completely up to him.”
Guardiola believes Rice – a player he tried to sign last summer – has made a big difference to Arsenal this season and that any club in the Premier League would want the midfielder. He said Rice wasn’t the first player to turn down City and won’t be the last.
“Sometimes here we have many players we wanted,” Guardiola added. “And they didn’t decide to join us. He’s not the first one who we wanted who didn’t join us. We have a long list.
“Basically they either don’t want to come or it could not happen because of the price or whatever. He took his decision, a good one, and good luck.
“I think all the teams in the Premier League would have signed Declan Rice. He is an international captain for the national team from England and a young player playing a lot of games regularly. That’s why Arsenal pushed [to sign him] the way they pushed.”
Guardiola also thinks Arsenal are reaping the rewards of keeping faith with Arteta – his friend and former No 2 at City – when some fans were calling for him to be sacked a couple of years ago.
He said: “Same manager, same players. They control many aspects of the game and every time they are better and better. When you have consistency in terms of ideas and the same manager, you always improve. If you change manager and players, it is more difficult.”
Jamie Carragher
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