Manchester City head coach, Pep Guardiola, is optimistic about the possibility of having Kevin De Bruyne available for their crucial Premier League clash against Arsenal on Sunday.
De Bruyne suffered a groin injury during City’s goalless draw against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night.
Although the Belgian midfielder initially continued playing, he was eventually forced to leave the pitch at halftime, with Ilkay Gundogan stepping in as his replacement.
During a press conference held on Friday, Guardiola provided an update on De Bruyne’s fitness, indicating there was a chance he could feature in the match against Arsenal.
“He feels a little better today,” Guardiola stated regarding De Bruyne’s progress. “Tomorrow we train and we will see. He could be [involved].”
In addition to De Bruyne’s potential return, Guardiola expressed his satisfaction with the availability of Phil Foden, who had a disrupted start to the season due to illness and fitness issues.
Foden made a strong impression after coming off the bench during the midweek fixture.
“[Foden] played a good 45 minutes in midweek and he was the best player last season and now he is fighting to be back,” Guardiola continued. “His intensity and his movement in the pockets, he is one of the best in the world. You can imagine how pleased I am to have him back.”
City remain the only team in the Premier League to have maintained a perfect start, winning all four of their opening fixtures.
In contrast, Arsenal, who sit two points behind the champions, will be looking to bounce back after being held to a draw by Brighton & Hove Albion before the international break.
The Gunners face a challenging task at the Etihad Stadium as they contend with multiple absences.
Captain Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Kieran Tierney are all sidelined due to injuries, while Oleksandr Zinchenko, a former City player, remains doubtful for the encounter.
With City aiming to extend their winning streak and Arsenal keen to close the gap, Sunday’s showdown promises to be a highly anticipated and fiercely contested affair.
