Pep Guardiola issues worrying Phil Foden fitness update ahead of Manchester City clash with Crystal Palace | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued a concerning update around Phil Foden’s fitness ahead of the visit of Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.

The Premier League schedule resumes for Guardiola’s struggling side this weekend with the visit of their fellow FA Cup semi-finalists, who could yet be brought together a third time should they overcome their respective last-four challenges at Wembley later this month.

In the reverse meeting and first of the campaign at Selhurst Park earlier in the season, Manchester City came from behind twice to come away from South London with a single point courtesy of Rico Lewis’ second-half equaliser.

Given the strong results of Palace at the perfect time of the campaign, Pep Guardiola will be needing the very best performances from his players, one of those being Phil Foden. However, the Englishman may not be available regardless of his form lately.

Speaking to the media on Friday afternoon during the second-half of his pre-match press conference, Pep Guardiola provided a fresh update on the availability of his squad, and particularly Phil Foden.

The England international limped out of Manchester City’s drab 0-0 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford last weekend early in the second-half, and it appears as though those problems have not been entirely overcome.

“Phil (Foden) is a doubt for tomorrow, for the injury that he had at Old Trafford, but he is a doubt,” Guardiola admitted to reporters from the City Football Academy ahead of the Etihad Stadium clash this weekend.

The Catalan coach continued, “The rest, except Erling (Haaland), and Manu (Akanji), and John (Stones), and Nathan (Ake), yeah the other ones are okay…

“Rodri. He’s quite good, huh? You will see when they will be back. You will see.”

It remains to be seen just what Pep Guardiola thought of his side’s performance at Old Trafford this weekend to some extent, and whether he feels his starting line-up from the 0-0 draw against Manchester United is worthy of follow-up starts this time around.

City were handed a major boost to their ambitions of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League in midweek after it was confirmed that the Premier League would receive an additional slot in the competition, and as such a top-five finish would secure a place at the top of Europe.