Man City star back for Spurs clash – but duo to miss out again | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola says Savinho and Josko Gvardiol will miss Man City’s game against Spurs on Saturday.

Savinho and Gvardiol missed the opening game win over Wolves and are not yet ready to return, while Mateo Kovacic is not expected to return until next month at the earliest.

Goalkeeper Ederson is back available, however, and will be hoping to regain his starting spot from James Trafford, who kept a clean sheet against Wolves.

Both Rodri and Phil Foden made the squad for their opening game 4-0 win but did not feature due to a lack of training.

Guardiola, however, says both are available to get minutes against Spurs.

“Rodri and Phil [Foden] were not available for the last game, they were out but it was just because of a lack of training, they are ready for tomorrow,” he said.

Rodri suffered a setback during the Club World Cup having returned at the end of last season from an ACL injury.

“I just want a consistent Rodri, that’s all. I don’t have any doubts about his quality,” Guardiola said.

“So far, he is still the best player in the world. In a few months we elect a new one, but he still is.

“He needs consistency, training, minutes, and after everything will be fine.”

On Trafford, City’s £31 million summer signing from Burnley, Guardiola says a decision on whether he will start again over Ederson is yet to be made.

“We’ll decide tomorrow [on Trafford as number one], or tonight, after dinner – happy [with his performance].”

Guardiola and his team will take on Tottenham Hotspur at home on Saturday, hoping to improve on a shock 4-0 defeat at the Etihad to the Lilywhites last season under ex-manager Ange Postecoglou.

On Spurs’ new manager Thomas Frank, previously of Brentford, Guardiola had kind words.

“It’s too early to know [how Frank will perform], but I don’t have any doubts that Thomas will do an incredible job in a big, big club like he has done [with] Brentford.”