How could striker be so selfish?

MARTIN KEOWN

WHAT was Sergio aguero doing out of the country less than 48 hours before Manchester City’s biggest game of the season so far?

Even if this was the last day of the season and City had already wrapped up the Premier League title, I would not be happy with him going to amsterdam so close to a game.

Of course aguero is unlucky to have suffered this injury and we should be thankful that it was not more serious.

But as a professional player, you need to prioritise football. There is no room in the calendar to jet off to concerts. at the end of the season you get four weeks off and that is the time to cram in what you want to do.

In a way it is selfish that he should choose to go to Holland just before this huge match. It feels unprofessional.

aguero is a laid-back, carefree personality and Pep Guardiola gives him the freedom to express himself on the pitch.

Guardiola may say he was OK for aguero to make this trip but I am sure the manager would rather he was tucked up in bed on Thursday night looking forward to the last training session before facing Chelsea.

This injury is a massive blow to Guardiola’s preparations. It is the champions against the title favourites. aguero is one of the best strikers to have graced the Premier League. While Gabriel Jesus has started well, he has not yet displaced aguero as the no 1 striker at the Etihad.

now Guardiola is without a key member of his attacking weaponry and the fans will be denied a chance to see a star player in a box-office clash.

I would not be surprised if Guardiola curtails the number of days off he gives his players from now on.

arsene Wenger rarely gave us a day off. If arsenal played on a Tuesday in the Champions League, we would still have to come in the following day.

We would have a massage, a Jacuzzi, a stretch, then go home. I used to complain that I had to drive all the way in from Oxford when these things could easily be done at a local health club.

But I can understand why Wenger brought us in. It stopped players heading off to Europe.

days off are rare for footballers. It can be good mentally to spend some time away from the club but it will cause the manager stress if he cannot trust where his players will go.

aguero may not have broken City’s code of conduct but there are still professional boundaries he needs to adhere to.