Manchester City have confirmed that Nathan Ake is an injury doubt ahead of Boxing Day’s clash with Newcastle United. The 25-year-old missed City’s Carabao Cup win over Arsenal due to a lack of fitness, so he might not return in time to face Newcastle on Saturday.
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Ake has made eight appearances in all competitions this season, featuring just three times across the board from November onwards. Pep Guardiola has preferred Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte and John Stones at centre-back, so Ake wouldn’t be starting against Newcastle regardless of his fitness.
The 5ft 9in Netherlands international suffered a hamstring injury in mid-November and returned before the end of the month, but he was left out of the matchday squad until mid-December.
Ake surprisingly started in City’s 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion less than two weeks ago but dropped to the bench in the 1-0 win over Southampton and was left out completely in the Arsenal victory. Laporte started alongside Dias in midweek, so Guardiola has a decision to make on who to start at centre-back this weekend.
It’s unlikely to be Ake, however.
In other news, Eric Garcia could miss Manchester City’s meeting with Newcastle United on Bosing Day