The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Pep reeling after double injury blow
Rodri and Zinchenko out until next international break
Manchester City have suffered a double injury blow with the loss of Rodri and Oleksandr Zinchenko for at least the next month.
Manager Pep Guardiola has revealed midfielder Rodri will be out until after the November international break with a hamstring problem and left-back Zinchenko for up to six weeks following knee surgery.
Rodri, who had been playing in defence to cover for other injuries, hobbled out of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Atalanta. He is set to miss the champions’ top-of-the-table clash with Liverpool on November 10 but could return to face Chelsea a fortnight later.
Guardiola said: “They told me after the international break he will be ready again.”
Zinchenko has missed City’s last two games and this week underwent a minor procedure to repair a knee injury.
Speaking at a press conference to preview this weekend’s clash with Aston Villa, Guardiola said: “He had a contact with the knee and felt something in the bone. He’s had to stop for four or five weeks.
“He’s had some surgery to clean up the knee. It’s not a big issue but he’ll be out for five or six weeks.”
Rodri’s injury late in the first half on Tuesday led to John Stones coming off the bench to replace him.
There had been some surprise the England international, after recovering from injury himself, had not been in the side to begin with, but Guardiola stressed his selection came down to match fitness.
He said: “It’s not about first choice, it’s about being fit. For a long time he’s been injured. He’s had many many injuries. That’s why he could not play.
“This season injury and injury and injury. Sometimes it needs more time.”
City have an opportunity to cut Liver
pool’s lead at the top of the table to three points as they host Villa today.
The Reds are not in action until facing Tottenham tomorrow.
Anfield boss Jurgen Klopp admits he is now spoiled for choice with midfield options but the one player who holds the key to everything is Fabinho.
The return to fitness of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita, in particular, allowed Klopp to play an attacking match in the 4-1 midweek Champions League win over Genk.
However, that game was not without its issues as Fabinho, who covered the most distance of any player on the night, was left to patrol the wide open spaces as his team-mates pushed forward but despite his best efforts at times they were over-exposed.
Klopp accepted as much but he has so much faith in the Brazil international he has not ruled out revisiting the same midfield three in the future.
“The Genk game was a good example of how important he is. Very!” said the Reds boss.
“It was clear it was not perfectly-tuned with Naby and Ox around because they didn’t play a lot together in this formation, but it is a possible formation for sure.
“Fabi had a lot to do to sort some little gaps which we left open. In that (Genk) game he played as pretty much the only midfielder in some moments.
“The job of the six in modern football is incredibly important and the more offensive the players around you are, the more important it gets.
“But he is not only a gap-closer and a challenger, he is a very good footballer as well.”
Since establishing himself in the side about 12 months ago after a slow start to his debut season, the Brazil international’s importance to the side cannot be under-estimated.
He has started 13 of 15 matches this season – one of the games he missed was the Carabao Cup tie against MK Dons when most of the first team were given the night off – and 40 of the last 48.
Fabinho will start at home to Tottenham but that game is likely to see the return of Wijnaludm and Henderson, despite Oxlade-Chamberlain’s two-goal performance in midweek.
“No headache, just bigger selection, more players to choose from. If good games from players gave me a headache my life would be really sad,” added Klopp.