Phil Foden, John Stones, Mateo Kovacic and Nathan Ake are all set to miss Manchester City’s game against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Foden, 24, missed the 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on Wednesday due to an illness, and manager Pep Guardiola confirmed that “he is not ready” to return tomorrow while being unable to provide a timescale for his return.
Ake was forced off in the final minute of normal time during Wednesday’s victory with Guardiola admitting that the 29-year-old’s injury “doesn’t look good.”
The Netherlands international has already been limited to just eight games in all competitions after a hamstring injury earlier in the year and will not be available for the trip to Selhurst Park.
Guardiola also confirmed that Stones and Kovacic are not ready to return to action.
The Athletic reported on November 22 that Kovacic, 30, would be out for up to a month with an injury sustained on international duty while Guardiola said on Tuesday that Stones, 30, was “not close” to a return due to a foot problem. Stones was withdrawn at half-time of City’s 4-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur.
Manuel Akanji was substituted at half-time during the Forest game but could be fit for Saturday’s trip with Guardiola saying “we’ll see” about the Switzerland international’s availability.
City’s victory over Forest ended a seven-game winless run that dated back to their 2-1 league Carabao Cup defeat to Tottenham on October 30.
They head into the game nine points behind league leaders Liverpool, who face Everton on the same day.
(Carl Recine/Getty Images)
