The Manchester derby always brings a special kind of electricity, and this weekend’s clash at the Etihad Stadium is no different. But for Pep Guardiola, preparing his Manchester City squad means dealing with a few headaches before the Sunday afternoon kickoff. The manager shared on Friday that his team is short on healthy bodies.
Omar Marmoush, who arrived back from Egypt with an injury, is expected to be out for several weeks. Doctors are still checking him, but Guardiola believes he’ll be ready to play again before the international break on October 6. Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki are also sidelined, and there’s a question mark over John Stones, though his injury isn’t thought to be serious. It means the City boss has some puzzles to solve for the big game against United.
Guardiola also used his first chat with reporters since the transfer window closed to reflect on the comings and goings. He had special words for some players who had moved on from City, like Ederson, Ilkay Gundogan, and Manu. He stressed how vital they had been. Ederson, he noted, helped the team in a unique way, and Gundogan, who signed when Guardiola first arrived, was both smart and clever. Manu left for his own reasons. Guardiola wished them all the best in their next steps. He also touched on the goalkeeping situation, stating, “We didn’t bring Gigi Donnarumma to do what Ederson did; Gigi has another quality. We have so much potential in the goalkeepers that we have to use it.”
The transfer market’s big talking point, of course, was Isak’s move to Liverpool. This led to Guardiola being asked about comments from Arne Slot, who earlier that day called Isak the “best striker in the world.” Guardiola didn’t hold back. “Isak is exceptional,” he acknowledged. “People ask me about Erling, and I say he’s top-notch. But it’s clear Isak must be top-notch too, considering what they paid for him. Others might say Mbappé, Messi, Cristiano… and that’s fine. But I wouldn’t swap Erling for anyone. I know him, and I like him.” It was a firm statement, underlining his faith in his own star striker.
The question of Guardiola’s own future at City always pops up, and he gave his usual answer. “I’ve said many times that I don’t know what will happen,” he explained. “My job depends on results, and I need to have a good season. I won’t stay if the club feels they need a fresh start. But right now, I want to achieve even more because of how things went last year.” He added that when he first joined and signed for three years, he never imagined he’d stay for a decade. “I’m very proud of that,” he said. “I want to keep helping the team, and the club, again and again.”