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Premier League | Gameweek 10
Oct 26, 2019 at 12.30pm UK
 
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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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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1210112481631
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Fulham125341717018
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle125341313018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd124441313016
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham124351519-415
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Ipswich TownIpswich121651323-109
19Crystal Palace121561017-78
20Southampton121110924-154


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