Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has ruled out defender Nathan Ake for Wednesday’s Premier League title clash against Arsenal with a hamstring injury.
The reigning champions welcome the former to the Etihad Stadium with the intention of closing the gap at the top to two points. Man City also have two games left against the Gunners.
While there has been much talk of Arsenal’s injury problems: William Saliba may not play again this season due to a back problem and Granit Xhaka is a doubt to start on Wednesday. this season in Ake.
“Hopefully he can come back soon, but for tomorrow he’s out,” Guardiola said at the pre-match press conference.
“We will find the right player to do it, I have no doubt about that, we will play with 11.”
Guardiola added that he does not know if Ake will be fit to face Real Madrid in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final on May 9. The Dutchman was cured of this hamstring problem in the second leg of the quarter-final with Bayern Munich.
Who could Manchester City play at left-back against Arsenal?
Manchester City currently do not have another natural left-back in their squad after selling Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal and loaning Joao Cancelo to Bayern Munich.
Left-footed centre-back Aymeric Laporte is expected to take Ake’s place. The Spain international has had his place in the starting XI filled by the likes of John Stones, Manuel Akanji and Ruben Dias in recent months.
Instead, Guardiola could opt to turn to the summer signing of Sergio Gomez, although he doesn’t have a lot of experience at this level.
