Guardiola Turns to Young Defenders as Ake Faces 11-Week Layoff
With key defenders sidelined, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said he will rely on two young players and academy defenders to fill the gap.
City is facing yet another setback in an already challenging season. Guardiola confirmed that Nathan Ake could be out for around 11 weeks after undergoing surgery.
The Dutch defender’s injury update came ahead of City’s Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Speaking at Friday’s press conference, Guardiola shared details about Ake’s condition.
“When a player undergoes surgery, it’s always serious. He has struggled a lot with a foot problem this season. The medical team has said it could take 10 or 11 weeks for him to return.”
Ake had already missed over a month earlier this season due to a muscle injury before making his comeback in late February. However, he managed to play only two games before suffering another setback. He picked up a foot injury in City’s FA Cup fifth-round match against Plymouth, which led to surgery on Tuesday.
With City falling behind in the Premier League title race, their focus has now shifted to securing a Champions League spot for next season. However, that task has become tougher with John Stones and Manuel Akanji also sidelined.
Against third-placed Nottingham Forest, Guardiola will have to trust two young defenders, Abdukhodir Khusanov and Vitor Heles, to step up. The City boss expressed confidence in their abilities.
“Khusanov has made a really good impact. Vitor played very well against Plymouth. A few academy center-backs will also join us.”
