As Manchester City gears up to face Newcastle, they continue to grapple with the absence of Erling Haaland, who is set to miss his ninth consecutive game. Despite this setback, Pep Guardiola’s team has the opportunity to narrow the gap with league leaders Liverpool to just two points if they secure a victory at St James Park.
The defensive lineup will be without John Stones, adding to the challenges for Guardiola, who is also awaiting Jack Grealish’s recovery from a recent illness. Guardiola expressed his hope for Grealish’s return, stating, “Hopefully today he’s back,” while confirming that both Erling Haaland and John Stones will be unavailable for the upcoming fixture.
On a positive note, Kevin De Bruyne made his return to first-team action, contributing an assist in City’s FA Cup win over Huddersfield.
De Bruyne himself expressed caution about starting games in the immediate future, despite Guardiola’s reassurances of his readiness. Guardiola praised De Bruyne’s performance but acknowledged the natural fluctuations in form during the recovery process, emphasizing the positive progress observed.
Guardiola shared his observations, stating, “What I saw yesterday he looks really good and dynamic.” He highlighted that the minutes De Bruyne played were impressive, surpassing expectations from the training session before the Huddersfield game. Guardiola recognized the normal variations in training intensity after a prolonged injury absence of five months.
Looking ahead, Guardiola outlined the upcoming schedule, including a game and a series of training sessions in Abu Dhabi.
These sessions are expected to contribute significantly to De Bruyne’s continued improvement over the coming months. Despite challenges with key players’ availability, Guardiola remains focused on navigating City through a crucial phase in the season.
As City aims to secure a positive result against Newcastle, Guardiola’s tactical decisions and the players’ performances will play a pivotal role in their pursuit of narrowing the gap in the Premier Leaguetitle race.
