Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, has provided an update on his squad’s fitness as they prepare for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Everton.
Following a recent international break, the Blues are set to face the Toffees, looking to capitalize on improvements after a challenging start to the season, which included back-to-back defeats to Tottenham and Brighton in late August.
After a disappointing 2024-25 season, Guardiola and his team are navigating a transitional phase, influenced by a pivotal transfer window managed by newly appointed director of football, Hugo Viana.
Heading into the Everton match on Sunday, City are contending with several injury issues. Notably, their Ballon d’Or winning midfielder has struggled with fitness since his return from an ACL injury sustained during the FIFA Club World Cup last summer.
<p.In a press conference on Friday, Guardiola addressed the media, providing insights on Rodri and the broader Manchester City squad as they aim to build upon their improved form from September as the season unfolds.
Guardiola confirmed that Rodri will not be available for the match against Everton, likely leading to Nico Gonzalez taking on the defensive midfield role at the Etihad Stadium against David Moyes’ side.
The 29-year-old has faced multiple fitness challenges since the Club World Cup, most recently exiting Manchester City’s last match before the international break—a narrow 1-0 victory over Brentford—due to a hamstring issue.
Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri have also been sidelined; Marmoush suffered a thigh injury while playing for Egypt in September, and Ait-Nouri is still recovering from an ankle injury he sustained against Tottenham in August.
Fortunately, both players returned to full training this week, and Guardiola expressed optimism regarding their impending returns: “They (Marmoush and Ait-Nouri) trained yesterday (Thursday); they are much, much better and are close to being back,” he stated.
While it is unlikely either will start against Everton, any playing time this weekend would be an essential step toward regaining full fitness, as City look to maintain their positive momentum in the Premier League.
In other updates, Mateo Kovacic has fully recovered and may make his first appearance for Manchester City since undergoing Achilles surgery at the end of the previous season. “This is good news; he could start for 50 to 60 minutes,” Guardiola remarked about the Croatian.
“Step by step, he (Kovacic) needs to give us quality moments, quality time, and quality minutes. But it’s important that he’s back,” he added.
With a win against Everton on Saturday, Manchester City has the opportunity to briefly ascend to the top of the Premier League table, as they strive to compete on multiple fronts after a proactive transfer window aimed at squad rejuvenation.