Pep Guardiola provides Manchester City fitness update ahead of Brentford clash | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued a fitness update ahead of his side’s visit to Brentford on Sunday afternoon.

The Premier League giants come into the weekend after a hard-fought 2-2 draw away to AS Monaco in the UEFA Champions League’s league phase, in a game that – despite the frustration – stretched the club’s unbeaten run following the September international break.

With the schedule now intensifying, Pep Guardiola’s ability to manage player fitness will be key as the squad prepares for a crucial run of domestic and European fixtures, but only after a clash with Brentford and another bulk of national team commitments.

Recent weeks have seen Guardiola forced to make adjustments due to injuries and rotation as new signings Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki and Omar Marmoush have already faced fitness setbacks, while Abdukodir Khusanov is also expected to miss the trip to the capital.

Cherki, who only returned to training on Tuesday following a hamstring issue, may not be risked against Brentford as the club carefully manages his workload. These absences come at a time when Guardiola has leaned on younger figures such as Nico O’Reilly, who assisted Haaland’s header against Monaco, to step up in competitive action.

The clash with Brentford also arrives against the backdrop of heightened scrutiny following Manchester City’s European slip-up. Pep Guardiola’s men dominated for long spells in France but were punished late on by Eric Dier’s penalty, leaving two points dropped in the group stage.

Erling Haaland’s comments – that Manchester City “made too many stupid mistakes” – underline the need for greater control and sharper execution when returning to domestic duties.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon, Pep Guardiola was quizzed for an update on his squad’s fitness off the back of a challenging 2-2 draw in European action away from home in midweek.

“We will train this afternoon, but it looks good,” Guardiola responded.

“Everybody finished [vs AS Monaco] without a problem. Yeah, fine,” he added.

Looking ahead, Pep Guardiola must decide whether to rotate his side again or lean on the same core group that featured in France. While Manchester City avoided new injury setbacks, the physical intensity of the Monaco encounter may influence his selection choices.

The coming weeks could also prove pivotal for players returning from the sidelines. Cherki’s availability remains a key talking point, with fans eager to see how he fits into Guardiola’s evolving attacking system, while the continued integration of Marmoush and Aït-Nouri will further shape City’s depth options.

If City can secure three points at Brentford, momentum could swing firmly back in their favour ahead of their next tests. But as Haaland’s comments highlighted earlier this week, performances must improve if Guardiola’s side are to maintain their challenge for top honours.