Pep Guardiola faces late goalkeeper dilemma ahead of Aston Villa showdown as new fitness concern revealed | OneFootball

Manchester City may have to rotate their goalkeeping solutions once again this weekend following the emergence of a new fitness problem in the squad.

The Premier League champions travel to face Aston Villa at Villa Park in the early Saturday lunchtime kick-off this weekend hoping to make amends for their calamitous defeat to Manchester United last time out.

Despite taking the lead through Josko Gvardiol’s header, a late penalty from Bruno Fernandes and a winning goal from Amad Diallo recorded all three points for Ruben Amorim’s side at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

That defeat meant Manchester City remain in fifth position in the Premier League table and nine points behind league leaders Liverpool, who also have a game in hand on all of their opponents following a postponement earlier this month.

And with matters in City’s squad far from ideal due to fitness and injury problems, the headaches coming Pep Guardiola’s way are only getting worse following the emergence of a new issue in the goalkeeping department.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon, the Manchester City head coach revealed that mainstay number one choice shot-stopper Ederson is a doubt for the trip to Villa Park this weekend.

“Ederson, I don’t know if he will be ready for tomorrow (Saturday), and we have to continue, it’s the only thing we have to do,” Guardiola admitted, without shining further light on the specific nature of the Brazilian’s issue.

Should Ederson be deemed unavailable for the clash against Unai Emery’s side, the expectation is that Stefan Ortega Moreno would come back into the starting line-up having been entrusted for big matches by Guardiola in recent weeks.

Elsewhere in the squad and there has been further issues impacted in defence, with Ruben Dias ruled out for up to one month with a muscular issue sustained during the second-half of City’s 1-2 home defeat against Manchester United.

The absence of the Portuguese centre-back also coincides with the return of two fellow defenders in John Stones and Manuel Akanji following respective injury problems, whilst Rico Lewis is available for selection once again following suspension.