adminMANCHESTER. — Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne and defender Nathan Ake played through fitness issues during Saturday’s 5-1 home win over Watford in the English Premier League football, manager Pep Guardiola said.
De Bruyne has been dealing with a foot problem in recent weeks, while Ake twisted his ankle in their win over Brighton & Hove Albion in the midweek.
Belgian international De Bruyne played 57 minutes on Saturday, providing an assist for Gabriel Jesus’ second goal, and Ake replaced Aymeric Laporte in the 63rd minute despite not recovering fully from the last match.
“I have 14 or 15 players fit and the last few games Kevin and Aymer played a lot of minutes,” Guardiola told reporters.
“Kevin, it doesn’t look like it, but he is playing with some disturbing niggles in his ankles for the kicks he got in the last games,” Guardiola added.
With City set to host Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final tomorrow and travel to Leeds United for a league game four days later, Guardiola said he was trying to manage the players’ workload.
“Of course, at 4-1, I am thinking about that. It is not just Madrid, it’s Leeds as well. You have seen the schedule,” he said.
“That is why in that moment I am thinking the game is almost over and I give rest in the last minutes to the players who have played a lot of minutes.
“We don’t have lots of central defenders that is why Nathan played with a big problem in his ankle.”
The Spaniard said he does not know if injured defenders Kyle Walker (ankle) and John Stones (muscle tightness) will be fit to face Madrid.
Meanwhile, Guardiola has claimed that he doesn’t care if Gabriel Jesus leaves the club following transfer links to Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta ‘s side are in need of a top-class striker this summer, with Eddie Nketiah and Alexandre Lacazette both into the final three months of their respective contracts at the Emirates Stadium. City frontman Jesus has been heavily linked with a move to north London in recent days and some reports have even claimed that he has already agreed terms on a move to the Gunners.
Now, City manager Guardiola has said that he isn’t thinking about the Brazilian international’s future after the 25-year-old scored four goals against Watford on Saturday afternoon. Speaking after the game, he said: “I want to tell you something; Gabriel (Jesus) is our player.
“I don’t know what is going to happen, but he is a Man City player. When he has days like today, I am the happiest man in the world!
“Every player is happy when they play 90 minutes all the time but at the end of the season whether he wants to extend, stay or leave, I don’t know or don’t care. We have less than one month.
“My only concern is the players will do everything to try and win, after that no one knows what will happen. If one person in the world deserves nights like this, it’s him.
“There is no one on the backroom staff or who knows him that isn’t happy for him. When you are so positive and generous as he is in every way, life and football can reward you.
“When he has situations like this we’re happy for him because he’s so generous. It doesn’t matter what position he’s in, we know how he fights for his mates.
“He’s fantastic.” — Reuters.
Online Reporter