Manchester City welcome Arsenal to the Etihad Stadium for Friday’s FA Cup clash, but Pep Guardiola might be without Phil Foden as he’s recovering from injury. The 22-year-old picked up a foot problem in City’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United on January 14 and hasn’t featured since.
Foden, who has scored nine goals with four assists from 27 games this season, was an unused substitute in the 4-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur on January 19 and was left out of the matchday squad in City’s 3-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on January 22.
As per the Manchester Evening News, Guardiola said: “It was (a class) in Old Trafford with (Aaron) Wan-Bissaka. When he falls down, he has a problem in his feet. He’s struggling so far. Painful, two or three days rest, gets better, then down. We decide with the doctors to stay to recover well.”
Foden’s injury sounds serious if he’s having setbacks during his recovery, but City can survive in his absence. Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez have been regulars on opposing flanks and have earned their starting place on merit, so City have enough attacking threat without him.
It’s hard to predict when the 22-year-old could return, but Guardiola doesn’t need to rush him back. Mahrez has contributed nine goals since the World Cup finished in late-December, so he won’t lose his place. As for Grealish, the 27-year-old’s had a hand in four goals, so he should continue starting games too.
In other news, Sergio Gomez left out of matchday squad again, 0 league apps since October
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