In pursuit of Premier League leaders Liverpool, Manchester City have been handed the boost of a returning star who was sidelined for the last seven games before the international break.
Man City injury news
Of course, it’s impossible to discuss Manchester City’s injury news without mentioning the continued absence of Rodri. The Spaniard is set to miss the entirety of the current campaign after suffering an ACL injury in a dramatic 2-2 draw against title rivals Arsenal. Arguably without their most important player, the Cityzens must push on in the hope of winning a fifth-straight Premier League title.
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It’s not exactly been smooth sailing without their midfielder, however. Gone are the composed, dominant champions that English football has grown all too used to. Arrived, for now, is a Manchester City side who have a glaring weakness without Rodri and one that Newcastle United stole a point from and Fulham nearly took all the way at The Etihad.
In need of some defensive assurance after the international break to return to their ruthless best, Pep Guardiola and Manchester City have been handed a much-needed boost on the injury front.
As reported by Sky Sports’ Ben Ransom, Nathan Ake is now back in Manchester City training and in line to return to the squad against Wolverhampton Wanderers this weekend after missing the last seven games through injury. Guardiola confirmed the news, but revealed that both the defender and Kevin de Bruyne will not be ready to start from the off as early as this Sunday.
Sidelined since suffering a knock in September’s international break with the Netherlands, Ake has missed games against Inter Milan in the Champions as well as Arsenal, Newcastle United and Fulham in the Premier League.
"Fundamental" Ake can prove importance again
Amid Manchester City’s depth of talent – from John Stones and Manuel Akanji to Ruben Dias – it can be easy to forget the important role that Ake has played under Guardiola in recent years. His versatility to fill in at both centre-back and left-back has proved to be key on more than one occasion and will continue to be just that as the current campaign goes on.
Guardiola is well aware of that too, having previously praised the £160,000-a-week Dutch international. The Manchester City boss told Sky Sports via Manchester Evening News back in 2023: “It has been fundamental for us. Earlier this season, when you play against Saka or Vinicius – this type of winger – or Martinelli, Salah, Mane in the past, you need a proper, proper, proper defender to win duels one-against-one. Otherwise, in this competition or the Champions League – those levels, they need one action to beat you.
“And Nathan gave us that boost that we didn’t have in the past. I think the biggest step this year, in the back four, was the real, real, proper defenders – who win their duels and in the box, win their duels. In the past, we didn’t have it and Nathan, like Manuel Akanji and Kyle Walker, he can do it and everyone took a step forward in that sense.”