Pep Guardiola hands Manchester City fitness update ahead of Everton clash | OneFootball

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola faced the media ahead of his side’s Premier League meeting with David Moyes and Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday afternoon.

The four-in-a-row Premier League champions are contesting for a top five league table finish to ensure UEFA Champions League qualification for the 2025-26 campaign and finish a strange season on a high.

City produced a scintillating attacking display after going two goals behind within 25 minutes against Crystal Palace last week, with goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Omar Marmoush, Mateo Kovacic, James McAtee and Nico O’Reilly securing a stylish 5-2 win at the Etihad Stadium.

However, results elsewhere and the quality of opposition City are competing with in their top five chase means there is little room for error for Guardiola and co in their final six matches of the Premier League campaign.

Manchester City remain short of centre halves – which has been a major personnel issue for Guardiola this term – but Manuel Akanji has returned to training this week alongside Phil Foden, who sustained an injury in the goalless Manchester derby earlier this month.

John Stones, Nathan Ake and Rodri remained absent for the game against Palace following the return of academy graduate Oscar Bobb from a lengthy lay-off after the Norwegian forward suffered a leg break in training in August. Bobb has since come on against Leicester City and Crystal Palace.

Ederson suffered an injury in Manchester City’s win against Crystal Palace and Guardiola put down the Brazilian’s issue to the sensational long-range pass he played to set up McAtee clear through against Dean Henderson.

Erling Haaland has remained out of contention since he picked up an ankle injury in Manchester City’s 2-1 comeback victory in the FA Cup quarter-final against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium in March.

Speaking in a press conference on Friday, Guardiola confirmed that Ederson and Haaland will remain unavailable for Manchester City’s final trip to Goodison Park. Whilst the extent of Ederson’s concerns remain unknown, Guardiola is expecting to remain without Haaland for the next set of games. “Next games, he (Haaland) will not be ready,” Guardiola said.

Guardiola confirmed Foden trained for the first time with the squad on Thursday and whilst it remains unlikely the Englishman is called back to the lineup on Saturday, City could see Manuel Akanji back in the matchday squad this weekend.

The Manchester City manager provided a positive update on Akanji, who is ‘moving well’ and is ahead of Foden in his recovery from injury and whilst the Swiss defender suffered a longer layoff than Foden, Guardiola will take a late call on a possible inclusion for Akanji against the Toffees.

On Foden and Akanji, Guardiola said: “They came back. Phil (Foden) just on Thursday, and today with his second session since Old Trafford. And Manu (Akanji), he made two or three sessions with us and I see him moving really well.”

Lastly, Guardiola confirmed that Stones and Ake are not back in training or ready to play any part for the 2023 treble winners, who will be searching for 18 points of a possible 18 available in their final six games of the Premier League campaign.