Manchester City saw key duo Kevin De Bruyne and Ederson go off injured at Tottenham on Tuesday ahead of the final Premier League fixture against West Ham.
Manchester City look set to have their injury fears eased as Kevin De Bruyne offered an optimistic assessment of the problem that forced him off at Tottenham.
De Bruyne went down under a late challenge and received treatment on the pitch during City’s 2-0 win at Spurs that put them on the verge of winning the Premier League title. However, the Belgian had to go off injured just before the 70 minute mark, with Jeremy Doku replacing him.
After the game, Pep Guardiola said De Bruyne had a ‘problem with his ankle’ that meant he had to be replaced, and now it seems that the issue was more precautionary rather than any longer-term issue that may have threatened his involvement in the final day or FA Cup final.
Speaking to Sky Sports News on Wednesday, De Bruyne said he expects to be fine for Sunday’s must-win clash vs West Ham, explaining how the pain of the challenge at the time was enough to force him off.
“I believe I’m doing fine. The spot in the achilles is quite sore, but it’s a little sore,” he remarked. When I felt the impact, it felt like a knife at that precise instant. It’s not that serious; it’s just an impact [injury]. Everything will work out.
To allay more worries, De Bruyne was later seen grinning while participating in Wednesday’s rehabilitation practice back at the City Football Academy. When Guardiola addresses the media on Friday, he will provide a more detailed update on his health.
Following a heated altercation with Cristian Romero, Ederson also lost it at Tottenham. Guardiola acknowledged that the medics had told him to take the goalie off, but he did not hold Ederson accountable for his emotional outburst as he took a seat on the bench. After full time, Ederson was seen with a back eye, which the manager also stated was not a concussion. He will need to be evaluated this week.
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