London, October 31 (IANS). Manchester City are facing a mounting injury crisis after their 2-1 League Cup defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, with winger Savinho and defender Manuel Akanji joining the long list of injured players.
Savinho was taken off on a stretcher in the 62nd minute with an ankle injury, while Akanji was forced off just before kick-off with a muscle problem. This leaves City manager Pep Guardiola with just 13 fit players ahead of Saturday's crucial Premier League match against Bournemouth.
Guardiola expressed concern over the physical strain this season has placed on his team due to the absence of key players such as Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri and Kyle Walker, as well as the recent absences of Oscar Bob, Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish.
Guardiola told reporters, “We have 13 players available, so we are in real trouble. Most of the players who play, they finish the match with problems and we will see how they recover. I think. That we are in trouble, because in nine years we have never been in this situation with so many injuries.”
Despite their precarious position, City are still leading the Premier League by a slim margin, one point above Liverpool. However, with important fixtures approaching, the absence of so many regular players raises concerns about their ability to maintain their title defence. The upcoming clash with Bournemouth will test Guardiola's ability to unify a depleted squad and manage fitness levels.
For Guardiola, who has enjoyed nine seasons full of player injuries, form and all the difficulties. He acknowledged that in 9 years, we have never been in this situation with so many injuries.”
–IANS
AMJ/RR
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