Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola don confirm say key midfielder Rodri no go dey available for Saturday Premier League clash against Everton for Etihad Stadium.
Di 29-year-old Spaniard don dey struggle with fitness since him comeback from di ACL injury wey keep am out for long last season. Dis term, e don only complete 90 minutes for just two out of him seven appearances across all competitions.
After e play just over one hour for City 2-2 Champions League draw against Monaco early October, Rodri start again four days later for di 1-0 win over Brentford before di international break. But e no last — di midfielder come off for di 22nd minute after e tweak him hamstring, and he later withdraw from Spain squad for their World Cup qualifiers.
After di match, Rodri talk say him dey hopeful to recover “within two weeks” make e fit return against Everton, but Guardiola don now burst di bubble.
Rodri Ruled Out As Guardiola Confirm Kovacic Return
Pep don talk am straight: “No news. He is not ready for tomorrow. I don’t know when he will be back.” With that, City go face Everton without their main man for midfield again.
In Rodri absence, Nico Gonzalez fit step into di deep midfield role, while Mateo Kovacic don dey ready to make him first Premier League appearance of di season.
Kovacic undergo Achilles surgery during summer and never kick ball for City dis season. E even miss di Club World Cup. But di good news be say e don return for international duty with Croatia last weekend and play 69 minutes for di 3-0 win over Gibraltar for World Cup qualifying.
Guardiola yarn about am: “He started 50-60 minutes, step-by-step. He needs to give us quality moments, quality time and quality minutes. Step-by-step but it’s important he’s back.”
Marmoush, Aït-Nouri Close To Comeback
Meanwhile, City fans don get better news say Omar Marmoush and Rayan Aït-Nouri dey close to full fitness and could soon return to first-team action. But Pep never confirm whether dem go feature against Everton.
Marmoush don miss seven matches since e suffer knee injury while on duty for Egypt in September. But fans catch small joy earlier dis week when e appear without crutches while celebrating Egypt World Cup qualification.
Aït-Nouri too don miss seven matches with ankle injury, but both players don return to training dis week — clear sign say dem dey almost back.
Guardiola give update: “They trained yesterday and are much better. They’re close to being back.”
However, Pep no mention defender Abdukodir Khusanov, wey never play di last four games because of calf injury. Reports say dem go make late decision on whether e go feature this weekend or not.
