Pep Guardiola issues Manchester City fitness update ahead of crucial Aston Villa clash | OneFootball

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola provided an update on his side’s fitness in a press conference on Friday ahead of Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Aston Villa.

City enter the game in Birmingham in a rich vein of form, having avoided defeat in eight games in all competitions over two months and climbing to second place in the Premier League table after suffering two defeats in their opening trio of 2025-26 league games.

The Blues also maintained their strong start to the UEFA Champions League campaign in midweek as goals from Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva sealed a 2-0 win over Villarreal on a night when Ballon d’Or winning midfielder Rodri was honoured by the Spanish side upon his return to his former academy.

Rodri has been out of contention for Manchester City since pulling his hamstring in a 1-0 win over Brentford at the start of the October, with Nico Gonzalez thriving in the number six midfield position amid his compatriot’s absence.

City welcomed the pair of Mateo Kovacic and Rayan Cherki back to Premier League action last weekend when a brace from Haaland secured a vital 2-0 win for the Blues over Everton as on-loan City record-signing Jack Grealish watched on from the stands owing to his ineligibility to feature against his parent club.

Nathan Ake made his first Premier League start since February against Everton, with Josko Gvardiol handed a much-needed rest following admissions from the Croatia international that he was concerned last season over just how much he had been playing for Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola and his coaching staff were handed a fresh fitness scare in Villarreal when Nico Gonzalez had to be taken off for Kovacic after the 23-year-old sustained a knock to his foot – with Guardiola confirming Gonzalez was injured after the game.

Speaking to the media ahead of Sunday’s tricky trip to the east Midlands, Guardiola has provided an update on the Manchester City squad’s fitness as the Blues look to keep up the pressure on title rivals and league leaders Arsenal.

Guardiola confirmed that Manchester City’s absentees for their UEFA Champions League group-stage win in eastern Spain – namely Rodri and Abdukodir Khusanov – will remain unavailable to face Aston Villa on Sunday.

“Still the guys who were not able in Villarreal, still they are not ready,” Guardiola said in reference to Rodri and Khusanov. Khusanov sustained an injury in Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in September and is yet to return to training.

“I think he’s close to coming back but he’s still not ready. (He) has an injury in a dangerous, dangerous position in his body,” Guardiola added on Khusanov.

The Manchester City manager went on to say that a decision on Gonzalez’s injury will be taken on Friday and Saturday in liaison with the club’s medical staff, with no firm decision made on the former Porto star for Aston Villa at the time of the press conference.

“I didn’t see the doctors, and we’ll see tomorrow – today and tomorrow – how does he (Gonzalez) feel. Something with his feet,” Guardiola said.