As the Premier League title challenge approaches the final stretch, supporters of Arsenal and Manchester City are bracing every time one of their players gets injured.
It is all to play for with a current four-point deficit that might increase to seven points before the teams’ clash the following week.
While Pep Guardiola’s team are in full swing and have won nine of their past ten games in all competitions while scoring 35 goals and allowing just five, Mikel Arteta’s men that have the points in the bank.
City have, however, suffered some significant hits due to the pressure and expectation of competing in the Champions League as well.
Firstly, Phil Foden has been absent of late. The 22-year-old hasn’t played since March 11, missing both quarterfinal matches against Bayern Munich as well as the last three league games.
He did sit on the bench for the Bayern second leg, but he must hurry to get match-fit before the title crunch match.
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Guardiola, however, received a significant loss in Germany. Key defender Nathan Ake left the game when the score was 1-0 and 4-0 on aggregate because of a hamstring injury that could keep him out for several weeks.
Dr. Rajpal Brar, a specialist in injuries, stated: “Nathan Ake right hamstring injury. Timeline depends the severity & location of injury (near tendon typically longer).
“Typically grade 1 is 1-2 weeks, grade 2 is 3-6 weeks & grade 3 is 10+ weeks depending on surgery or not. Higher risk for high pace players/positions.”
Ake has become integral to Guardiola’s four centre-back fluid system of late and would be a huge miss heading into the crucial weeks of the season.
Speaking after the game, Ake said: “I’ve had it before and it feels a little bit less to be honest, but you never know with these things.
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“So we will do the ultrasounds and stuff tomorrow and then hopefully it’s not too bad.”
Elsewhere it was nearly a double blow for City as Manuel Akanji also went down late in the game. The Swiss defender was able to carry on regardless but nonetheless only went to prove Guardiola’s point after the game that his side are physically struggling.
“We are exhausted,” he said.
“I don’t know how we recover to play against Sheffield United [in the FA Cup semi-final]. Now is a tough moment for the game on Saturday.”
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