Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke about Jeremy Doku and his injury situation after the Champions League win
Manchester City are sweating on an injury to Jeremy Doku ahead of crunch away games in the Premier League. Doku made the two goals for the Blues in their Champions League win over Galatasaray but was forced off in the first half after being unable to continue after treatment.
City’s two goals against Galatasaray, together with results elsewhere, mean that Pep Guardiola’s side have qualified directly for the last-16 by virtue of finishing in the top eight positions of the 36-team table. As a result, there will be fewer games for City in February and more time for players to rest and recover.
However, Doku’s fitness is a more pressing concern for upcoming Premier League trips to Tottenham on Sunday and Liverpool the following week. Arsenal’s home defeat to United saw the gap at the top of the table cut to four points, but City know they cannot afford many slip-ups after just one win in their last five league games.
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“It’s a big miss [once he goes off]. Jeremy is an important player for so many reasons. We’ll see,” said Guardiola after the game to broadcasters. In his press conference, he elaborated that it was a calf injury and while Doku may be back before the knockout rounds of the Champions League the early diagnosis is that he will not be available to face Spurs on Sunday at the very least.
“Jeremy has had these muscular problems with the demands and his efforts. Hopefully in March he can be ready to help us. He was exceptional in Madrid and in Norway he could not play for the injury that everyone knows what happened in Old Trafford. Unfortunately he’s not ready for a few more days.”
Watch Man City vs Galatasaray on TNT Sports
Man City continue their UEFA Champions League campaign as they host Galatasaray on January 28. Fans can watch the game on the TNT Sports Prime Video channel.
City will welcome Antoine Semenyo back into the team for their Premier League games to give Guardiola a fresh option for his attack. The January signing from Bournemouth is not eligible to play in the Champions League until the knockout rounds but has already scored in three competitions for the Blues since his £62.5m move.
