“Gvardiol’s Full Focus on Saturday as Man City Grapple with Injury Crisis After Spurs Defeat”
Josko Gvardiol appears determined to keep his focus on Saturday’s Premier League clash against Bournemouth, brushing off any injury concerns after Manchester City’s disappointing 2-1 defeat to Tottenham in the Carabao Cup. Spurs advanced to face Manchester United in the quarterfinals, leaving Pep Guardiola and his squad struggling with mounting injuries.
The night proved frustrating for Guardiola, who faced a series of setbacks. Manuel Akanji was forced to withdraw during the warm-up, and Savinho exited mid-game due to an injury. The biggest scare came when Gvardiol required attention from City’s medical staff after the final whistle, raising concerns over his fitness.
However, the Croatian defender seems unfazed, later taking to social media without mentioning any injury troubles. “Thanks for the support. We keep moving forward with full focus on Saturday!” Gvardiol assured fans, suggesting he’s ready for action.
Meanwhile, Guardiola’s squad is feeling the pinch, as an unusual spate of injuries continues to sideline key players. City are missing stars like Rodri, Oscar Bobb, Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku, and Kyle Walker, leaving Guardiola with limited options.
“We have 13 players (available) so we are in real difficulty,” Guardiola admitted. “The guys that play, they finish most of them with problems, and we’ll see how they recover.”
With training numbers at a critical low, Guardiola revealed, “Tomorrow we have two keepers and Erling Haaland for the training session. So we don’t have anything else.”
Despite the challenges, Guardiola remained optimistic, emphasizing the resilience of his players. “In nine years, this has never happened with so many injuries for so many reasons, but in these situations, players make a step forward. They are more together than ever and will try to recover.”
While Akanji is expected to recover in time for Saturday, Savinho’s status remains uncertain after his injury, further complicating City’s lineup choices. Guardiola hinted at leaning on academy talent, saying, “If the seniors cannot be there, we’ll do it. And we’re going to Bournemouth to compete.”
As City press on, Gvardiol’s commitment to the next match provides some reassurance, even as the squad navigates one of its most challenging injury crises under Guardiola’s tenure.
