Pep Lijnders press conference: Jeremy Doku fitness and Ruben Dias updates ahead of Tottenham clash | OneFootball

Manchester City assistant coach Pepijn Lijnders has provided an update on the Blues’ fitness ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash away at Tottenham.

Despite the absence of ineligible January signings Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi in midweek, City progressed to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 courtesy of a 2-0 win over Galatasaray – as Erling Haaland returned to the scoresheet and Rayan Cherki added another goal before the interval.

Jeremy Doku went off with a calf injury in the first-half at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, raising concerns over his availability for upcoming Premier League trips to Tottenham and Liverpool – in the wake of a similar issue the Belgian sustained in December 2025 that kept him out until earlier this month.

Josko Gvardiol is sidelined with a long-term right tibial fracture as the 24-year-old faces a race against time to recover in time to play for Croatia at this summer’s FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Ruben Dias also went off with a hamstring injury in City’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea on January 4 and recent reports have suggested that the Portugal international is targeting next weekend’s trip to Anfield to mark his return.

John Stones and Mateo Kovacic are also expected to remain unavailable against Tottenham on Sunday evening, with Manchester City assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders providing a wider update on his side’s fitness in a press conference on Friday.

On Doku, Lijnders said: “It’s a similar injury to the last (one), only that time it’s a little bit on the outside, lateral side, now it’s on the centre.

“Last time it took 18 days, I presume this will be a little shorter. But it’s in the middle so we have to take time. But Jeremy is very robust, so let’s see.”

Lijnders was further quizzed on Dias after the Manchester City defender’s Cheshire residence was burgled into on Wednesday evening. “We try to support him as a club, of course,” the Dutchman added.

“I didn’t speak with him (Dias) personally at the moment. These other things, you don’t want to happen. So we will support him and we’ll see how it goes from there.”

The Manchester City assistant coach went on to confirm that Dias will return to full first-team training on Monday after recovering from his recent fitness setback.

After consecutive wins against Wolves and Galatasaray at home, it is all upon City to go on a winning run and pile further pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal, whose lead at the top of the table was cut to four points last week after Manchester United caused a major upset at the Emirates Stadium.