Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola met the media today, and he provided an update on John Stones, and his recovery from a thigh injury. The English defender has returned to training, and while he obviously will not be ready for this weekend’s headliner clash at Liverpool, he might be able to return next weekend, possibly.
We could see Stones feature again on Feb. 14, when City resume their FA Cup campaign.
Liverpool FC vs Manchester City FYIs
Kick: Sun. Feb. 8, 4:30pm, Anfield, Liverpool, UK
Team News: Liverpool FC Manchester City
Google Result Probability: Liverpool 41% Manchester City 34% Draw 25%
Premier League Standing, Form: Liverpool 1st, 31 pts, DDDLW Manchester City 2nd, 47 pts, DDLWD
Man City Team News
Said Guardiola: “John made yesterday the first training session with the team. Step-by-step coming back.”
Elsewhere the cup win over Newcastle United came with a new injury concern, in Bernardo Silva. He is basically a 50/50 proposition for Sunday, due to a thigh injury.
“I don’t know [how bad it is],” Guardiola said on Wednesday, in regards to Silva. “We’ll see. Yesterday, he said to me, ‘I feel quite good, I want to try,’ but I don’t know. We’ll see in the next days.”
Meanwhile Ruben Dias returned to the team in midweek, making the matchday squad, and going an unused substitute.
It’s still too early though for Jeremy Doku however, as he has not returned to training yet. And then finally, Savinho, Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol all remain sidelined as longer-term injury absentees.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.