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Premier League | Gameweek 10
Oct 26, 2019 at 12.30pm UK
 
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3-0

Sterling (46'), Silva (65'), Gundogan (70')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Guardiola not expecting January spending despite injury headache

Guardiola not expecting January spending despite injury headache
© Reuters
Rodri and Oleksandr Zinchenko are the latest Man City players to be sidelined.

Pep Guardiola fears Manchester City's injury list could could prove their undoing this season.

The Premier League champions have had a number of fitness problems already this season with Rodri and Oleksandr Zinchenko becoming the latest casualties this week.

Midfielder Rodri is likely to be out for a month with a hamstring injury sustained in Tuesday's Champions League defeat of Atalanta. Left-back Zinchenko is facing up to six weeks on the sidelines after undergoing minor knee surgery.

They join long-term knee injury victims Aymeric Laporte and Leroy Sane in the treatment room.

John Stones is only just back in action after injury while Kevin De Bruyne, Nicolas Otamendi, Benjamin Mendy and Kyle Walker (illness) have all missed games this term.

Guardiola, whose side host Aston Villa on Saturday, said: "Some are muscular, others in the past were ligaments – (there are) not many we don't have. We are in a bad period in that sense.

Rodri has joined Manchester City's injury list
Rodri has joined Manchester City's injury list (Nick Potts/PA)

"When I'm thinking after the international break – November, December, January, February – yes, I'm a little bit concerned because in a few positions we don't have enough players."

Despite potential shortages, Guardiola says the club have no plans to look to add to the squad in the January transfer window.

Even though certain areas may need strengthening, City want to look long term when buying and the winter market is not seen as ideal to do business in.

Guardiola said: "I think we are not going to buy. The club didn't introduce me to the players they thought could help us, so without that it's not going to happen.

"Our need is not just for six months, it's for a long time and the important players will not be sold. We are going to stay all the season, I think, with all the players we have right now."

In recent games, midfielders Rodri and Fernandinho have both played in defence and Guardiola expects he may have to move more players around before the end of the season.

He said: "I would prefer all the players had no injuries but I have to do it. We can't stop and complain, 'Oh what bad luck'.

"We have good players in the squad. In a few positions there are not many but we have incredibly good players. We're going with them."

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Bournemouth104331312115
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
11Brentford94141818013
12Fulham93331212012
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


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