Manchester City are entering a crucial phase of the season. The pressure is rising with every passing game.
However, recent results have given them strong momentum. A dominant 4-0 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup has lifted confidence.
Meanwhile, that victory has also secured a semi-final spot. City will now face Southampton at Wembley later this month.
At the same time, the possibility of another final remains alive. If they win that tie, they will meet either Chelsea or Leeds.
Still, attention now shifts to the Premier League. Manchester City will travel to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea this weekend.
However, there were concerns ahead of this fixture. Two key players missed the recent FA Cup win over Liverpool. Now, both players have dealt with recent injury issues.
Ruben Dias has not featured since the Champions League defeat to Real Madrid on March 17. He came off at half-time in that game.
At the same time, he also missed international duty with Portugal. That added to the concern around his condition. Also, Ruben Dias was recently fined.
However, John Stones had a different situation. He was an unused substitute in the Carabao Cup final win over Arsenal on March 22. Later, he withdrew from England duty.
Still, his last full appearance came earlier this month. He played 90 minutes in a 3-1 FA Cup win over Newcastle on March 7.
As a result, doubts remained over both players. But the latest update has eased some of those fears.
Assistant manager Pep Lijnders has now addressed the situation. He confirmed that neither issue appears to be long-term. He said (via Manchester Evening News):
“Ruben got a knock in the last minutes of training. We are assessing it. I think he had a scan again so we have to see.
“John, to be honest, I think he will not be long-term but he was not available.”
City already carry strong momentum, heading into the final phase of the Premier League title race. So, having Ruben Dias and John Stones back will be a massive boost for Pep Guardiola’s team.
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