Manchester City duo withdraw from international duty adding to Rayan Cherki and Abdukodir Khusanov concern | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has seen a further two members of his Manchester City squad withdraw from international selection owing to injuries, the club have confirmed this week.

The news comes at a time when the Etihad side are already managing several fitness concerns across the squad during the first weeks of the new season, following a campaign that was largely derailed by injury problems in key areas of the squad.

Manchester City have endured a difficult start to the Premier League campaign, losing to Tottenham at home and most recently away to Brighton, with the latter fixture once again exposing defensive flaws in Guardiola’s system.

Concerns over player availability have steadily grown in recent days, beginning with Rayan Cherki in the aftermath of the Tottenham defeat, followed by confirmation of Abdukodir Khusanov’s calf injury sustained against Brighton. Those issues have since been compounded by Rayan Ait-Nouri’s withdrawal from Algeria’s squad owing to injury recovery needs.

Now, the latest double blow adds to a sense of frustration and concern among supporters, particularly as Pep Guardiola has been leaning on younger members of his squad to provide energy from the bench.

With both Nico O’Reilly and Rico Lewis featuring as substitutes at the Amex Stadium, their absence from upcoming international action is a further reminder of the challenges facing the squad during a critical early stretch of fixtures.

As confirmed by Manchester City this week, both Lewis and O’Reilly have withdrawn from their responsibilities and call-ups to the England Under-21 squad due to injury.

A statement from the Premier League side said, “City duo Rico Lewis and Nico O’Reilly have both withdrawn from the England Under-21 squad ahead of this month’s opening 2027 UEFA Under-21 EURO qualifier.

“The pair had both originally been named in Lee Carsley’s 23-strong squad late last week. But in the wake of Sunday’s Premier League trip to Brighton, the City youngsters will instead remain at the CFA for further assessments on injuries.

“Norwich City’s Ben Chrisene and Sheffield United’s Sydie Peck have been added to the squad to replace Lewis and O’Reilly.”

Looking ahead, Pep Guardiola will be eager for swift recoveries from all of his sidelined stars, with a demanding run of domestic and European fixtures set to follow immediately after the international break.

The absence of Rico Lewis and Nico O’Reilly in particular could limit rotation options, especially as the squad prepares for UEFA Champions League commitments where squad depth often proves decisive.

Manchester City fans will also be monitoring the developments around Rayan Cherki, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Rayan Ait-Nouri closely, with all three recent signings having already encountered physical setbacks.

Should the issues persist, it could force Pep Guardiola to adapt his tactical approach and lean even more heavily on experienced names in his back-four such as Nathan Ake or John Stones to stabilise performances.

For now, the focus will remain on recovery and rehabilitation, but the volume of early-season injury setbacks is already creating a storyline that threatens to define Manchester City’s start to the 2025/26 campaign.