Pep Guardiola admitted on Friday that injuries to key defenders have left Manchester City in a ‘difficult situation’ ahead of their English Premier League game against rivals Manchester United.
The Sky Blues will be without Ruben Dias, John Stones, and Josko Gvardiol, leaving them with the out-of-favour Nathan Ake and the inexperienced Abdukodir Khusanov to rely on in central defence for Saturday’s derby.
Pep Guardiola
“Without John [Stones], Ruben [Dias], Josko [Gvardiol] we are in a difficult situation,” admitted Guardiola, before saying he hopes the back-up defenders are ready to step up.
Reports suggest City will address this issue with the signing of Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, but the Spaniard preferred to keep his cards close to his chest. “I have nothing to say,” said Guardiola tersely.
Meanwhile, he was complimentary of his new Red Devils counterpart Michael Carrick, who has taken over as interim manager until the end of the season. “I think central defenders and holding midfielders have better vision [when it comes to coaching] Michael [a midfielder] as a player was extraordinary,” said the Spaniard.
However, considering it is Carrick’s first game in charge — his three-game interim stint in 2021 notwithstanding — Guardiola preferred to focus on his own team rather than worry about his opponent’s tactics. “If you don’t have more info of the opponent, you focus on yourself and your player,” said Guardiola.
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