March 01, (THEWILL) – Manchester City midfielder Jack Grealish will miss this weekend’s crucial English Premier League clash against Manchester United, manager Pep Guardiola confirmed on Friday.
The 28-year-old, after not featuring since suffering a groin injury in the UEFA Champions League three weeks ago, was substituted in the first half of Tuesday’s FA Cup victory over Luton Town. Guardiola does not expect Grealish to return before the March international break. “No, I don’t think so. He has to recover well to use him as much as possible,” Guardiola told reporters.
The manager did not specify a timeline for the England international’s recovery. Guardiola added he has not been in contact with England manager Gareth Southgate regarding Grealish’s fitness. The coming weeks will be challenging for the EPL champions City, who face title rivals Liverpool and Arsenal after the United derby.
They also host FC Copenhagen in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie on Wednesday. Putting a positive spin on their injuries and tough fixture list, Guardiola said: “We have had key players out injured and still done well.” City are currently second in the EPL standings, one point both behind leaders Liverpool and ahead of third-placed Arsenal.
When asked when city rivals Manchester United could challenge for the title again, Guardiola deferred to club co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s assessment that it would take “two or three years.” City have won seven of the last 11 Premier League titles, establishing an era of dominance Guardiola hopes will continue “for as many years as possible.”
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
