Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has delivered the latest update on the fitness of his squad ahead of Friday night’s Premier League clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Etihad Stadium.
The Citizens are in buoyant mood as they have put together an eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions, most recently beating Nottingham Forest 2-0 last weekend to progress to the FA Cup final in a few weeks’ time.
Man City have also won four of their last five Premier League matches to boost their Champions League qualification hopes and have welcomed back a couple of important first-team stars to training this week.
Indeed, Guardiola has confirmed that top scorer Erling Haaland and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri have both returned to team training, revealing the former is “getting better” and the latter also “feels good”.
While Guardiola does not expect Haaland to be involved against Wolves on Friday, after missing six games with an ankle injury, the Catalan coach has urged caution on the return to action of Rodri after more than seven months out with an ACL injury.
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Guardiola confirms Haaland, Rodri return to training
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday ahead of Man City’s first home game played on a Friday since Boxing Day 2008, Guardiola told reporters: “We are really pleased Erling is back and Rodri is back in the training sessions.
“The moment the physio and doctor say that Rodri can start to play minutes and after that he will start to play minutes, but the doctors have to tell me.
“It was a difficult injury. It was seven months to eleven months more or less the doctors said.
“He feels really good, every day he’s making sessions and sessions, but we have to make the step to avoid making a step backwards and being injured again.
“That’s why you need to be careful. Important is one training session and then another one and every time he feels better and better.
“When the doctor says Rodri is stable and he can play, after that he is going to come back.”
Guardiola has also confirmed that there is “no news” on any other injured players, with Nathan Ake (foot), John Stones (thigh) and Oscar Bobb (hamstring) all sidelined, while Ederson is in contention to start after recovering from a groin issue to watch on as an unused substitute against Forest.
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Guardiola not surprised by impressive Wolves form
Guardiola is one of five managers who has been nominated for the Premier League Manager of the Month award for April along with Wolves boss Vitor Pereira, who has steered his side to six successive wins.
Wolves’ impressive upturn in form which has secured their top-flight status for another season has come as no surprise to Guardiola, who is now preparing his Champions League-chasing City side for “four finals” in the Premier League.
“The quality [Wolves] have, the shape they play and the courage [they have], it’s no surprise,” said Guardiola. “Wolves always have really good players and now they have incredible run.
“Similar when Newcastle came a month ago and Aston Villa came recently. It’s another final for us. Maybe the most important game we have ahead of us. We have four finals [in the Premier League].
Asked if Wolves having no pressure makes them a more dangerous opponent than one fighting for survival, Guardiola added: “I’m pretty sure the Wolves players wanted to come here already safe, from the difficult position there were in.”
While Wolves sit 13th in the table and 20 points above the bottom three, Man City sit fourth and only one point above both Chelsea and Nottingham Forest in fifth and sixth respectively.
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