Manchester City explain Bernardo Silva absence against Newcastle United – Liverpool availability in doubt | OneFootball

Bernardo Silva has missed Manchester City’s matchday squad for the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.

The 31-year-old played 88 minutes in City’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham on Sunday night as the Blues lost further ground in the Premier League title race, having won one of their last six league games to allow Arsenal to establish a six point lead at the top of the table.

The jury remains out on whether Pep Guardiola’s side can fulfil their aspirations of silverware in the coming months as City continue to grapple with an injury crisis that has derailed their form in the last month or so.

A must-win Premier League battle against Liverpool at Anfield awaits Manchester City this weekend, though they have a chance to return to winning ways in the return leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie against Newcastle United on Wednesday night.

Guardiola has made six changes to his lineup from Tottenham to face the Magpies, with City entering the game with a two goal lead courtesy of strikes from Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki in a 2-0 first-leg triumph at St. James’ Park three weeks ago.

Ahead of Wednesday’s 20:00 UK kick-off at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City’s official channels have confirmed that club captain Bernardo Silva has missed the matchday squad against Eddie Howe’s side due to injury.

Ruben Dias makes his way back into the matchday squad after recovering from an injury he sustained in City’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea on January 4, with the Portugal international in contention to start against Liverpool at the weekend.

Silva, however, faces a potential race against time to prove his fitness ahead of a must-win game against Liverpool, where there is no margin for error for Manchester City, who cannot afford more dropped points in the backdrop of a poor run of Premier League form.

Nathan Ake is leading Manchester City out against Newcastle United and will be partnered by the increasingly reliable Abdukodir Khusanov, who has been proving his worth week-in, week-out to Guardiola in the absence of Dias and Josko Gvardiol lately.

Jeremy Doku has also missed Wednesday night’s clash after going off against Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League last week, with no indication as yet on whether the 23-year-old Belgium international will recover in time to face Liverpool.

Mateo Kovacic and John Stones remain on the sidelines for Manchester City, with the latter expected to be part of another mass exodus from the Etihad Stadium in the summer – alongside Silva and Ake, who could both leave the club at the end of the season.

Guardiola faces uncertainty over his own future at the Etihad Stadium amid a growing belief in the English football industry that the 55-year-old could call it a day at City a year before his current contract expires in 2027.