Four first-team members of Manchester City will miss Saturday’s Premier League match at the London Stadium against West Ham United owing to injuries.
Due to individual muscle and knee ailments, John Stones and Jack Grealish were not involved with the Three Lions over the international break. Manager Pep Guardiola has announced that they will not be able to fully heal in time to play this weekend.
Mateo Kovacic has also been ruled out after sitting out of Croatia’s two Euro 2024 qualifying matches owing to a back muscle problem. The midfielder may be out for at least 10 days and needs to have an MRI to determine the extent of the damage.
While Nathan Ake and Erling Haaland were able to recuperate from injuries they sustained during the international break and will be able to play at the London Stadium, Kevin De Bruyne will continue to be a long-term absentee as he continues his rehabilitation from hamstring surgery.
Guardiola is expected to choose a team that is similar to the one that beat Fulham 5-1 at the Etihad Stadium in their final game before the international break, having recovered from a back procedure for three weeks.
Right-back Kyle Walker, who on Thursday agreed to a two-year contract extension, may be joined in defense by Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji at center back, while Ake and Josko Gvardiol will compete for a spot at left back.
In Kovacic’s absence, fellow summer acquisition Matheus Nunes might start alongside Rodri in midfield. Kalvin Phillips is also a possibility, and Bernardo Silva, Jeremy Doku, and Phil Foden will all be vying for starts on the flanks opposite of forwards Julian Alvarez and Haaland.
Ederson, Walker, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol, Rodri, Nunes, Bernardo, Alvarez, Foden, and Haaland might be Manchester City’s starting lineup.
