EPL

Kevin De Bruyne faces fitness test before Manchester City host West Ham

By Sports Desk May 02, 2023

Kevin De Bruyne faces a fitness test ahead of Manchester City’s Premier League clash with West Ham on Wednesday.

The influential Belgium playmaker missed the champions’ victory at Fulham on Sunday with an unspecified knock and is again a doubt as the Hammers visit the Etihad Stadium.

Defender Nathan Ake could be in contention after missing City’s last three games with a hamstring injury.

Manager Pep Guardiola said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday: “Nathan trained with us and feels good.

“Kevin has started to move but hasn’t trained with the team (yet). Now we have training in a few hours and we will know exactly how he feels.”

Wednesday’s game could see the prolific Erling Haaland set a new record for the most goals by a player in a Premier League season.

The Norwegian netted his 34th of the league campaign at Fulham, drawing him level with joint record-holders Andy Cole and Alan Shearer.

His strike at Craven Cottage was his 50th of the season in all competitions and, with a potential 10 games remaining, it is not inconceivable that he could pass Dixie Dean’s 1927-28 record of 63.

It has been an astonishing first year in English football but Guardiola is confident there could be plenty more to come from the 22-year-old.

Guardiola said: “It is a surprise for all of us – maybe not for him – to do what he’s doing in this difficult league but the way he behaves and has done it is for the success of the team.

“Of course it’s good for him and the team if he breaks the records. It’s a good sign.

“The magnitude of a record is because for a long time it was not broken. All records will be broken one day.

“He himself or another one will break the record Erling is going to set, because I’m pretty sure he is going to score more goals in the Premier League until the end of the season.”

In-form City put themselves in firm control of the title race with their victory over Arsenal last week but, after being pushed hard by Fulham, Guardiola is not taking anything for granted against the Hammers.

He said: “West Ham maybe didn’t do the season they expected but that doesn’t mean the quality is not there.

“In the last two seasons with David Moyes they have been exceptional.

“The weapons are there, they are a good team. I don’t have doubts about them. In one game anything can happen. We have to be absolutely ready.”

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    Erling Haaland has "full trust" in the "best manager in the world", Pep Guardiola, to get Manchester City back on track against Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday. 

    Guardiola's side have lost four matches in a row across all competitions, which is the Spaniard's longest losing run in his entire managerial career. 

    The Citizens last lost more consecutively between March and April 2006 under Stuart Pearce (six – the fifth game of which was also against Tottenham).

    But after putting pen to paper on a new two-year contract extension at the club earlier this week, Guardiola has his eyes firmly set on returning to winning ways on home soil. 

    And Haaland, who has scored 105 goals in 114 appearances under Guardiola at City, believes they can make up the gap to leaders Liverpool, who are five points ahead. 

    "When you look at what he's been doing for the club, he's not bad, is he? So he's got my full trust," Haaland told Sky Sports. 

    "And if he tells me something, I'd better do it because he knows the best in the end. Everyone knows that. So I'm sure he will find solutions now as well. I'm sure of that.

    "[Guardiola] demands us to be at our best in every training session, in every game. And that's what we need to do. It hasn't been good enough, losing four games now, but let's try to win the next."

  • Arsenal handed another injury blow as White ruled out for 'months' Arsenal handed another injury blow as White ruled out for 'months'

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    White had been dealing with several issues all season and has missed five games in all competitions for the Gunners already this term. 

    After struggling through until the November international break, the decision was taken for him to undergo surgery in order to finally address the ongoing problems.

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    Though Arteta confirmed that the surgery was successful, White is set for a lengthy spell out of the team. 

    "It has been different kinds of struggles. It has never been the same thing, but we had to make a decision. He has not improved over the last few weeks, unfortunately," said Arteta.

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    Aged 39 years and 302 days, Amorim will be the youngest to take charge of his first match for the Red Devils since Wilf McGuinness in August 1969 (31y 288d).

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    "We have to change the physical aspect of the team. I don't know how long it will take."

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