Man City star suffers training injury as two drop out for West Ham
Manchester City stars John Stones and Savinho were both absent from the squad for the Premier League game with West Ham
Savinho at the Bernabeu
John Stones and Savinho both missed Manchester City’s trip to West Ham as Pep Guardiola’s side looked to put their midweek disappointment behind them. The Blues were blown away 3-0 by Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in a Champions League game they went into looking to win.
Savinho was taken off at half-time and replaced by Tijjani Reijnders in that game, and while that was tactical the Brazilian is not deemed fit enough to travel to the London Stadium. He had felt his hamstring and so was not risked but is expected to be fit for the second leg against Real on Tuesday.
Stones felt his ankle in training so was also left out as a precaution. The England international started a week ago at Newcastle in the FA Cup and should be back in the squad for Tuesday, although there will be open training on Monday ahead of it where his injury status will become more clear.
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Those injury updates were given by Pep Lijnders, filling in for Pep Guardiola while the manager serves a two-game touchline ban following his sixth yellow card of the season at Newcastle. The City boss does not have to relinquish his media duties and spoke to reporters on Friday at the City Football Academy, but will be leaving it to Lijnders on Saturday night.
Lijnders will also be in charge for the FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool next month. The disciplinary regulations do not cover the Carabao Cup, meaning Guardiola can be in the dugout for City’s trip to Wembley a week on Sunday.
City need to win at West Ham to keep pace with Arsenal in the Premier League as the title race nears its final straight. The Blues were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Nottingham Forest in their last league match and cannot afford to drop further ground.