Man City dealt major injury blow ahead of Manchester United

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has given the team news for the club ahead of the Manchester derby

Pep Guardiola has confirmed Jack Grealish will miss the Manchester derby with the forward set for more weeks on the sidelines.

Grealish returned from a groin injury ahead of schedule and started in the FA Cup win over Luton in midweek after being on the bench against Bournemouth in the last league fixture. However, there was more pain in store for the England international as he was forced off again with a recurrence of the problem.

Guardiola isn’t sure on when Grealish will be available again but does not expect to see him before the international break later this month. That would rule him out of not just the derby but also fixtures with Copenhagen at home in the Champions League, Liverpool away in the Premier League and Newcastle in the FA Cup quarter-final.

“I don’t think [he will be back before the internationals],” Guardiola said. “I haven’t spoken to the doctors but I think he has to recover well to use him as much as possible. We have an alternative. Setbacks in life are always there, it is how you overcome them.”

City will miss Grealish given their win percentage is significantly better with him in the team, although Guardiola will still have a headache trying to fit in his attacking talent. Rodri and Phil Foden can expect to come in from the side that won 6-2 at Luton, while Julian Alvarez, Jeremy Doku and Oscar Bobb are also pushing for selection.

“We have 20 key players. Everyone is so important and it is so nice to have those fixtures,” said Guardiola. “To have the chance to qualify for the Champions League, then we have Anfield and then the chance against Newcastle for the fourth time this season to reach the semi-final of the FA Cup. We worked so far since we arrived here to live these kind of moments. They are the best.”