Pep worry as Gundogan suffers fresh injury scare
ILKAY Gundogan suffered another injury scare in City’s win over Wolves.
The 27-year-old has been plagued by problems in his time in Manchester, arriving at the club injured last year with a back injury and missing most of 2017 with knee ligament damage.
Gundogan made his first start in nine months when the Blues played West Brom in the League Cup last September, and was forced off after a heavy tackle by Claudio Yacob.
He made it through 120 minutes against Wolves on Tuesday but did not finish the game fully fit.
“Unfortunately Gundo finished with some problems,” said manager Pep Guardiola.
“I don’t know if it is serious, we will see.
“We hope it is not dangerous and we need all the squad.”
City’s manager, meanwhile, wants Gundogan and Bernardo Silva - two of nine changes against Wolves - to compete with Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva to ensure that his two playmakers-in-chief do not burn out before the season reaches boiling point.
Silva was given the night off on Tuesday but De Bruyne was needed to come off the bench for the latter stages of the game as City attempted to break their Championship opponents down.
“It’s so demanding with an extra competition and playing extra time,” Guardiola said. “That’s why the league is so complicated.
“We need all of them. We cannot play all season with the people we have used in the last month.” CITY fans were openly mocking Claudio Bravo last season… but they ended up by chanting his name after his man-of-the-match performance against Wolves.
The keeper has slowly won the confidence of the fans and – you suspect – of his team-mates, and he looks back on his difficult debut season with a philosophical outlook.
Some supporters ironically cheered last season when the ex-Barcelona man made a save after he earned a reputation of letting in shots on a regular basis.
He took it in good heart, comically cupping an ear to the fans who felt it necessary to vent their feelings.
But his struggle between the sticks was just part of City’s general awkwardness in adapting to Pep Guardiola’s tactical approach, Bravo believes.
“It was difficult not only for me, but also for the team,” said Bravo. “There was a new manager, with new ideas, with a lot of new players. I think often time proves you right.
“We need to stay calm and try to do things right.
“I could feel the support of all the fans behind the goal (on Tuesday).
“The weather was awful and yet the stadium was full. Walk out to the pitch and see all the fans making the effort to be there, getting soaked, it’s very rewarding for us and that makes you try to do things even better for them.”
Bravo has now saved seven of his last 11 penalties in shoot-out scenarios, as well as keeping out 10 of the 38 spot-kicks he has faced in normal time.
And the 34-year-old ex-Barcelona man pinpointed three key aspects to success in the nerve-racking showdown.
“I think it’s a mix of things,” he said. “First, you have to train it. Secondly, you must analyse the opponent players who usually shoot penalties. “Finally, there is a key factor for me, which is feeling strong in a difficult situation, try to make the shooter get nervous. I think that’s a challenge and I don’t think you can train those kind of things. It’s part of your natural skills.” Bravo kept out two of Wolves’ three spot kicks to book City’s place in the Carabao Cup quarter-final, following on from shutting out all three penalties by Portugal in the Confederations Cup semi-final in the summer. He also saved twice against Brazil in the 2014 World Cup last 16 tie to make up his astonishing record. His heroics against Wolves had the fans – who last season cheered ironically when he made a save – chanting his name. And he said: “I have always felt confident. In my career, I have always been successful in these kind of situations. “When there are penalties, I feel like a winner.” Claudio Bravo on his difficult first season with City