Following their respective substitutions against Brighton on Wednesday night, John Stones and Phil Foden have left Manchester City supporters concerned.
Following a 1-0 victory against Chelsea and wild celebrations after winning the English top division for the third time in a row, the Premier League winners headed to the south coast.
Pep Guardiola has gotten the rare chance to rest and rotate his team in preparation for the two cup finals that loom for Manchester City in the first few weeks of June now that the English top division season is down to two games left.
Nevertheless, the Catalan coach is having to find the right balance between ensuring rhythm and tempo is maintained, whilst also handing ample rest to his key stars ahead of two matches that could have a decisive say on the history of Manchester City.
As such, a largely strong side was fielded at the Amex Stadium – despite five first-team players being absent due to a lack of fitness following the weekend’s win over Chelsea – but that came at a cost.
Phile Foden was replaced early in the second-half with Cole Palmer coming on in his place, whilst John Stones went down midway through the latter 45 minutes, leaving many Manchester City supporters concerned over their fitness at such a crucial stage of the season.
What Did Guardiola Say?
Speaking after the game however, Pep Guardiola somewhat reassured fans by offering details on the fitness of the duo, as he explained, “Phil (Foden) had a knock in the first half, problems in the leg, and the doctor told me it was dangerous and we didn’t take a risk.
“John (Stones) felt tight, but he didn’t have anything, and we didn’t want to take a risk, so hopefully he can recover as soon as possible.”
Continuing on the subject of the England international centre-back, his defensive partner on the night Rodri also offered some insight during his post-match interviews, as the Spaniard explained, “No he’s fine.
Rodri provides encouraging injury update on Man City teammate John Stones after Brighton substitution #mcfc https://t.co/bURgxMYOkS
— Manchester City News (@ManCityMEN) May 25, 2023
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“He went down to make the substitution, but I asked him and he was pretty good”
Manchester City return to action on Sunday afternoon. Their final match preparation before taking on Manchester United in the Emirates FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium a week later.
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