Premier League 2023-24: Man City without Grealish for derby against United, confirms Guardiola
Jack Grealish is unavailable for Manchester City’s Premier League game with Manchester United this weekend, manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday.
Grealish has not featured in City’s last three league games after suffering a groin injury in the Champions League win at FC Copenhagen, and the midfielder went off injured in the first half after starting Tuesday’s FA Cup win over Luton Town.
“No, he will not be fit for the weekend. When he comes back, I don’t know,” Guardiola told a press conference.
“Setbacks are always there in life, he will overcome it.”
Guardiola doesn’t expect Grealish to return before the international break later this month when England plays two friendly games with Brazil and Belgium.
“No, I don’t think so. He has to recover well to use him as much as possible,” he said.
“I didn’t speak to Gareth Southgate.”
City now faces a tough run of games in the coming weeks. After United on Sunday, it will face its title rivals Liverpool and Arsenal in the league, along with its Champions League last 16 second leg with Copenhagen on Wednesday.
City is second in the standings, one point behind Liverpool and one point ahead of Arsenal, while United is in sixth place, 15 points off City, and Guardiola was asked when its Manchester rival can expect to challenge for the title.
“(Co-owner) Sir Jim Ratcliffe and others know the diagnosis of the club. If Sir Jim said they need two or three years to be there, who am I to say the opposite?” the manager said.
“I’m sure they will work to close the gap.”
ALSO READ: Saudi Arabia launches formal bid to host 2034 World Cup in FIFA contest effectively already won
Last season’s treble-winners City is the dominant force in English football, something which Guardiola hopes to continue.
“In the Eighties it was Liverpool, the Nineties it was United, now we are this many years, winning seven Premier League titles in the last 11, 12 years,” he said.
“It has happened, but in 50 or 60 years, there has never in one country been a club that dominates and controls everything, so we can try