Guardiola gives updates on injuries to Doku, Savinho, Gonzalez and more | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has provided updates on the injuries to a number of his players, with 11 set to be sidelined this weekend.

Jeremy Doku travelled to Norway but did not feature in City’s defeat to Bodo/Glimt. “He went to warmup and he could not play,” Guardiola revealed. “Do you think he would not play in Bodo if he was fit?”

Asked if the Belgian could start against Wolves, he answered: “We’ll see.”

City have been left short-handed in wide areas following the injury to Savinho on New Year’s Day. The Catalan divulged: “Savinho started yesterday running for the first time on the pitch, so maybe two weeks, three weeks. Or maybe less, I don’t know.”

The Blues are also lacking holding midfielders, with both Nico Gonzalez and Mateo Kovacic sidelined. This has led to increased game time for Rodri, who only recently returned from a long-term absence of his own and received a red card in the Champions League in midweek.

City’s boss said: “Nico, we will try to see if he can help us with the absence of Rodri on Wednesday against Galatasaray, but he’s a doubt.”

Despite this, City’s worst-affected area by injuries has been in defence. Both Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias limped off in the same match against Chelsea at the start of the month.

Guardiola said: “Josko is out for two months and Ruben still will be out.

“Josko is a fracture. It’s a surgery. It’s a bone. So he’s not coming back.”

With their squad hampered by injuries, City have gone winless in their last four Premier League matches.

“11 players back,” Guardiola answered on the solution to City’s current struggles. “Simple. Like last season, give me my players back.

“So we have 11 players out, like most of the teams. Give my squad back. Give it to me like last season. And after, we’ll see what happens.

“So for one day we can solve it. For two days we can solve it. But for a long time, it’s unsustainable.”

On the cause of the injuries, Guardiola once again rued the ever-expanding fixture calendar.

He maintained: “They have no weeks to recover. That guy, when he finishes the season goes to the national team to play the World Cup. United States of America – with incredible hot, warm conditions.

“After that, he goes home. How many weeks? Two? Three? He comes back. Let’s go again.

“How many years of that? Eight, nine, ten seasons in a row.

“So, at the end, it’s difficult. That’s why the people get injured.”