Manchester City may face a significant injury crisis with up to 13 players potentially unavailable for the upcoming Manchester derby against Manchester United in the 2025/26 season opener.
With a demanding fixture list ahead, including hosting their city rivals at the Etihad Stadium, followed by their UEFA Champions League debut against Napoli and a Premier League showdown with Arsenal, Pep Guardiola’s squad depth will be tested. Recent updates from the club indicate that a dozen-plus players are sidelined, casting doubt over their availability for this high-stakes encounter.
Injured Manchester City Players Likely to Miss the Manchester Derby
(1) Marcus Bettinelli: The goalkeeper has been out since the season’s start due to an undisclosed injury. With Gianluigi Donnarumma, James Trafford, and Stefan Ortega ahead in the hierarchy, his absence is less impactful.
(2) Rayan Ait-Nouri: After sustaining an injury in the match against Tottenham, he was omitted from Algeria’s international squad during the break.
(3) Josko Gvardiol: Although back in training with City, the defender chose to skip Croatia’s national team camp to focus on rehabilitation.
(4) Abdukodir Khusanov: The Uzbekistan Football Association confirmed he is sidelined with a calf injury from the Brighton fixture. Expected to be out for about two weeks, he will miss the CAFA Nations Cup but might be fit for the derby.
(5) Rico Lewis: The young talent had to pull out of England Under-21 matches due to injury, adding to Guardiola’s concerns in defense and midfield.
(6) John Stones: Experiencing muscle tightness, Stones’ absence was described as a precautionary measure by Thomas Tuchel.
(7) Rayan Cherki: The French international is sidelined for up to two months with a thigh injury sustained in August, ruling him out until at least late October, as confirmed by Guardiola.
(8) Phil Foden: Missing the Brighton game due to fitness concerns, Foden’s injury is expected to be short-term compared to others.
(9) Mateo Kovacic: Recovering from Achilles surgery performed in June, the Croatian midfielder is nearing a comeback, with Guardiola anticipating his return between September and October.
(10) Nico O’Reilly: Another Under-21 player forced to withdraw due to injury, further limiting midfield options during a critical period.
(11) Kalvin Phillips: Also recovering from Achilles surgery like Kovacic, Phillips is unlikely to feature in Guardiola’s plans even once fit.
(12) Savinho: Recently returned to training during the international break, aiming to rejoin full squad activities once City’s internationals are back.
(13) Omar Marmoush: Forced off on crutches after a knee injury in Egypt’s goalless draw with Burkina Faso, City have confirmed he will miss the derby this weekend.
Fans of Manchester City will be hoping for swift recoveries as the team prepares for an intense October schedule filled with crucial fixtures.
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