Manchester City travel to Molineux on Saturday afternoon to face Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League and Aymeric Laporte has been ruled out of the fixture.
Pep Guardiola revealed in Friday’s pre-match press conference that the 28-year-old will miss the game through lack of fitness, having recently recovered from surgery on a knee injury.
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He said: “Aymer is back in training but is not ready.” Laporte has yet to make an appearance for City this season but should feature after the international break in early-October. Guardiola isn’t rushing him back as he doesn’t want to risk a setback in his recovery.
The City manager also has enough options in defence with John Stones, Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake at his disposal, so Laporte isn’t desperately needed back – Vital Man City even wrote a piece on how Ake has filled the Spaniard’s shoes temporarily.
After Wolves on Saturday, City next face Manchester United on October 2, so Laporte will hope to have recovered by then. He’s had a four-month layout, so reserve-team football might be an idea to build up match fitness.
In other news, Pep Guardiola gives injury update in Kyle Walker
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