Pep Guardiola offers Savinho update after injury scare forced substitution in Brentford win | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has provided an initial update on the fitness of Savinho after the Brazilian was substituted late on in the victory over Brentford.

The reigning champions once again secured all three points, establishing themselves as the only remaining team to have won all of their opening four matches this season, following wins over Chelsea, Ipswich, and West Ham prior to their latest scalp.

Victory over Thomas Frank’s side did not come without major challenges, with the first of those coming inside 30 seconds when Yoane Wissa capitalised on some scrappy defending from Pep Guardiola’s rearguard.

It was Erling Haaland once again who ensured that Manchester City would not slip up, as the Norwegian scored a first-half brace to give his teammates three points to hold on to throughout the second 45 minutes.

The dying embers of the game did bring about a scare for Manchester City supporters ahead of a jam-packed schedule for their squad, with Matheus Nunes replacing the seemingly injured Savinho, who limped off the pitch appearing to clutch his right hamstring.

Speaking to the media during the second-half of his post-match analysis of the contest, Pep Guardiola was asked for an update on the fitness of the Brazil international, with his response likely to be greeted warmly by those awaiting an initial diagnosis.

“It looks like cramp, he said cramp,” Guardiola said of his initial conversation with Savinho upon the 20-year-old’s exit from the pitch.

“But I didn’t speak with the doctor, we will see,” he continued, with Manchester City’s matches now coming thick and fast in a chaotic calendar, and with a UEFA Champions League meeting against Inter Milan scheduled for Wednesday night.

Arsenal are Manchester City’s next opponents in the Premier League as Mikel Arteta’s side travel to the Etihad Stadium next Sunday afternoon in the first meeting between the current top-two in the division this season.

The Gunners have their own injury concerns to contend with throughout the week, in amongst their Champions League duties, with Bukayo Saka the latest to limp out of action for the club in the 0-1 win over Tottenham on Sunday.

Elsewhere, club captain Martin Odegaard continues to be an area of fitness concern for Arteta, after the Norwegian sustained an ankle injury during the most recent international break and missed the North London derby win.