Ruben Amorim handed Manchester derby boost after Pep Guardiola surprise injury update -Reports

Ruben Amorim handed Manchester derby boost after Pep Guardiola surprise injury update -Reports

Ahead of a crucial week that includes matches against Juventus and Manchester United, Pep Guardiola has given a sobering injury update for Manchester City, which is encouraging for Ruben Amorim.

Prior to Sunday’s Manchester derby at the Etihad, Premier League winners City will fly to Turin on Wednesday for the Champions League.

Due to a lengthy injury list, City will only have three senior defenders available for those two games. Rico Lewis, who was sent off in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace, will be suspended.

Guardiola looked a beaten man as he delivered a team news update and said: ‘We don’t have players to come back [against Juventus].

‘The solution is give me players back and to do it. But it’s not possible right now and I think it isn’t going to happen for a long time.

‘The reality is I will have few players to rotate in this type of period. When we arrive in the treble season and domestic treble it was because everyone was there.

‘We have [on the bench], except [James] McAtee, Jack [Grealish] and Jeremy [Doku] the other ones were from the academy. And it’s going to happen for the next games, the next three weeks, one month it’s going to happen the same.’

City have dominated English football in recent seasons but have suffered a drop-off this term – with Guardiola’s team fourth in the top-flight table after 15 games played – and currently eight points behind leaders Liverpool.

‘I said to players, don’t feel sorry, please,’ Guardiola added. ‘Accept the challenge.

‘It will be more difficult but maybe at the end we have more satisfaction in the way we are going to behave in these problems than maybe in the other seasons when we won the titles.

‘It’s not a question of luck, it happens. It’s life, it happens, accept it, and this is the challenge.

‘That’s why the challenge has been given. It’s football, we know this season will be like this.

‘Always all the teams want their players fit and ready. Sometimes unfortunately since the beginning it could not happen. It’s going to be [more difficult] for longer. One way or other we are going to try.’