What the papers say

Arsenal’s pursuit of a striker has received some encouragement from a potential target. Newcastle’s Sweden forward Alexander Isak, 24, admitted “things can happen” during the summer according to the Daily Mail.

The Gunners have been tracking another Sweden forward but the Sun reports scouting trips to see Viktor Gyokeres, 25, at Sporting have seen the Lisbon club’s Ivory Coast centre-back Ousmane Diomande, 20, catch their eye.

Wolves are in pole position to sign Southampton’s Scotland striker Che Adams according to The Daily Telegraph. The 27-year-old becomes a free agent in the summer.

Brighton are looking at Nigerian winger Philip Otele at Romanian club Cluj, reports the Evening Standard.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Erling Haaland: Barcelona are keen on the Manchester City striker in 2025 according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, which says the 23-year-old’s agent met with the La Liga club last month.

Joao Gomes: The Wolves midfielder, 23, has been identified by Manchester United as a replacement for fellow Brazilian Casemiro, 32, reports Spanish outlet Sport.

What the papers say

Manchester City are the latest club to track Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, according to the Daily Mail. They join city rivals Manchester United, Tottenham and Real Madrid in following the 21-year-old.

United have also been linked with another defender in the summer. The Daily Mail says they could make a bid for Senegal youngster Mikayil Faye, 19, from Barcelona.

The Daily Star says Scott McTominay is going nowhere, despite being linked with a move away from Old Trafford. The club plan to offer the Scotland midfielder, 27, an improved contract.

Midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, 24, is being watched by Arsenal, reports the Daily Star. He may be available as Nottingham Forest look to balance their books.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Conor Gallagher: Tottenham are looking to make a summer bid in excess of £30million for Chelsea’s England midfielder, reports Football Insider.

Mason Greenwood: Juventus are looking at the Manchester United forward, 22, who is on loan at Getafe in Spain, according to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.

The Premier League risks losing credibility in the face of points deductions for financial breaches, according to football finance expert Kieran Maguire.

Everton and Nottingham Forest have received points deductions of six and four respectively this season for breaches of the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules (PSR).

Forest received a deduction on Monday, which left them in the relegation zone, a point behind 17th-placed Luton Town, after they admitted a breach of the rules.

Everton, meanwhile, were initially deducted 10 points in November for a breach of the rules in the 2021-22 reporting period, before that was reduced to six on appeal. The Toffees sit 16th, having not won in 11 league matches, though Sean Dyche's team might yet have to grapple with another deduction, with the club having been charged with a breach in the 2022-23 financial reporting period.

Maguire fears for the Premier League's reputation in response to the deductions, with Championship side Leicester City also charged by the league on Thursday for PSR breaches during their time in the top flight, while Manchester City are facing 115 charges for potential financial discrepancies. Chelsea are under investigation for potential off-book dealings, while the Blues could be under pressure to sell players before the end of June in order to come under the threshold in their next set of accounts.

"I think the credibility of the Premier League as an organisation which is capable of governing itself has taken quite a few knocks recently," Maguire told Stats Perform.

"There is now news coming out that the independent regulator bill, the football governance bill, will be placed before parliament. That's a further blow to the Premier League in terms of its ability to be seen as a self-governing organisation.

"The Premier League hasn't come out of these cases particularly well. You wait years and years for a PSR judgement and then you get two in two months. Then we've got the Manchester City case which is probably going to take another 12 months."

Maguire joked: "You've got people outside the stadium that won't be selling programs and shirts, they'll be selling asterisks because there is so much uncertainty."

Maguire also explained that perceived superior cooperation with the Premier League from Forest is the reason for their smaller deduction compared to Everton, despite the midlands club having overspent by £34.5million, compared to the Toffees' breach of £19.5m.

He said: "Forest have been given a three-point penalty for breaking the rules, and another three points for going so far over the limit.

"But because Forest has cooperated and made the life of the commission relatively straightforward, we're going to effectively knock off two points for good behaviour. So that's why we've ended up with this final deduction of four points compared to Everton's six."

Maguire also pointed out that Forest did have other circumstances to contend with.

"Anybody that follows football knows that Forest were promoted with effectively six or seven players remaining in the squad because players were out of contract, a lot of players on loan. Therefore, they had to spend a lot of money on recruitment," he said.

"Their argument also is that if you want to survive in the Premier League, and survival was just as hard as getting there in the first place, then you've got to spend money. They've done that."

When asked if Forest could see their penalty reduced in the same way Everton's has been, Maguire replied: "I think if we have a look at the Everton appeal, that was reduced from 10 points to six on points of law.

"The second commission said that the initial commission brought accounted for tariff factors, which weren't actually in the Premier League rules, and therefore the initial penalty was too harsh. Whether Forest can do the same, I'm uncertain. 

"Forest have got seven days to have an appeal and we could be left in the pretty awful scenario that the appeal is heard in late April, then the verdict is announced four or five days after the end of the season. I think the integrity of the game would be tarnished if we do end up in that situation."

What the papers say

Gareth Southgate is the top choice of Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to replace Erik ten Hag as manager in the summer, reports the Star.

According to The Times, Nottingham Forest may be forced to sell star players by the end of June to avoid losing more points for breaching financial rules.

Tottenham, Chelsea, and West Ham are all keen on England striker Ivan Toney, reports The Sun.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Jack Grealish: HITC writes that Manchester City might let the England forward leave this summer, with the club understood to be raising funds to boost their squad.

Alexander Isak: The Newcastle and Sweden striker is on Arsenal’s summer shortlist, says Football Insider.

Erling Haaland: The Manchester City striker limped out of training while on international duty with Norway, alarming his club, writes The Guardian.

What the papers say

Chelsea forward Raheem Sterling will give Saudi Arabian clubs the cold shoulder this summer, the Evening Standard reports, with the 29-year-old England international – who was booed  by Blues fans at the weekend – set on helping the Stamford Bridge club get their hands on silverware next season.

Borussia Dortmund would be keen to bring on-loan winger Jadon Sancho back to the club on a permanent basis, but only if Manchester United are willing to accept half the £73million they bought the England international for in 2021, the Mirror reports.

Chelsea striker Cole Palmer, 21, is to be rewarded with a new and improved contract after an impressive start to life at Stamford Bridge following his summer move from Manchester City, says Football Insider.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Joshua Kimmich: Bayern Munich are open to selling the Germany midfielder, however he is only interested in joining Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Real Madrid or Barcelona, writes Florian Plettenberg.

Eddie Nketiah: Wolves are in the hunt to sign the England striker, 24, who may leave Arsenal in the summer, reports Teamtalk.

Rodri has warned Manchester City’s rivals they can still get better as they remain in the hunt for a second consecutive treble.

City brushed aside Newcastle 2-0 on Saturday to reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup for a sixth consecutive season, with their dominance not reflected in a scoreline which was defined by two deflected strikes from Bernardo Silva.

The win extended City’s unbeaten run in all competitions to 22 games, and although the international break could disrupt their rhythm, Spain midfielder Rodri believes there is more to come.

“It’s going to be good for us, this break,” Rodri said. “You will see the best version of this team at the end of the season.

“Always it happens because of the manager, because of the standards of the club, because of ourselves and the ways we have learned over these years. This is what we want to do.

“We asked the lads to rest as much as possible. I know it’s tough but we have friendly games (for our national teams). It’s important to play for our national teams but also to think about the end of the season. I think the best is yet to come.”

Pep Guardiola has been eager to deflect talk of repeating last season’s treble given the number of games remaining for City, who sit third in the Premier League, one point behind leaders Arsenal who are the next visitors to the Etihad Stadium after the break.

But Rodri and the rest of the squad recognise the opportunity that is in front of them.

“I think if you ask ourselves before the season which position we would be able to be in it would be exactly this one,” he said.

“Involved in every competition, wanting to fight for everything and this is the situation that we’re going to get after the international break.

“We can win everything, of course. It will be so, so tough. We asked ourselves at the beginning of the season to put us in a situation where we could at least fight to the end and this is the situation. The job is done up until now and now we have to do the last push.”

Last week’s Champions League draw has once again paired City with Real Madrid, who they beat 5-1 on aggregate in last season’s semi-finals.

It is a special fixture for Madrid native Rodri, who joined City from Real’s rivals Atletico in 2019.

“In my case, (we’ve played them) four times in five years since I’m here,” he said. “Yeah, we like Madrid. My home, my city. It is what it is.

“To be honest I loved what happened (in the draw) – the second game at home was the key, for me, not so much the team you draw. We have it in the quarter-finals and if we go through in the semi-finals. So we were kind of lucky in the draw.”

The match will put Rodri up against England international Jude Bellingham in the middle of the park.

“We know how he is as a player, tactically and with the quality,” Rodri said. “We know that Real Madrid is not just one player, we always said this.

“We have to focus on ourselves more than the opponent. We’ve seen in the past year that with the best performance, City can beat anyone. And this is my only target until the end of the season.”

The Premier League has paused for the final international break of the season and when it resumes at the end of the month it is full tilt towards the finishing line.

Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal are locked in an enthralling title race, while things at the other end are just as fascinating with the prospect of seven clubs still fighting for survival.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the key issues that will be resolved after the international break.

Title race

Traditionally, this is the time of season that Manchester City click into gear and go on a winning spree which ends with them lifting the title. And few would bet against them doing so again as Pep Guardiola’s side have been there and done that and are looking ominously good.

Their next game could have a big bearing on the outcome of the title race as Arsenal, a point ahead of Guardiola’s men, visit the Etihad Stadium. The Gunners sit top on goal difference having won their last eight games, but this is usually when their campaign falters and it will be interesting to see how they have learned from last season’s capitulation.

Liverpool are level on points with the Gunners and will want to give Jurgen Klopp the perfect send-off by lifting the title. They have had a brilliant season and have overcome injuries in recent weeks but their Thursday night schedule in pursuit of Europa League glory could also have an impact. But, whatever happens, there are sure to be plenty of twists and turns in the final 10 games.

European qualification

Aside from those three clubs in the title race there are up to eight clubs who have realistic ambition of qualifying for European football in one of the three competitions.

Aston Villa, Tottenham and Manchester United are eyeing the big prize of the Champions League, which is definitely earned by finishing fourth and possibly also fifth – depending on how English teams fare in the knockout stages of this season’s European competitions. Villa seem to be hanging on to fourth place after a jittery period while Spurs’ inconsistency has seen them fail to take advantage. United have also had the same problem and seem an outside bet to make the top four.

The race for a top-six finish, which would most likely guarantee Europa League football is just as fascinating as West Ham and Brighton are hot on the heels of United. The Hammers, who are also juggling Thursday night commitments, have overcome a sticky period that saw David Moyes defending his record and are looking strong, while Brighton have been hit by injuries but are still in the mix.

Assuming seventh place is rewarded with a Europa Conference League position, which is highly likely, then a number of clubs are in the hunt. Wolves, Newcastle, Chelsea and even Fulham could all eye a late dart up the table.

Beating the drop

Exactly what is going to happen in the relegation fight could depend on the Premier League as Nottingham Forest and Everton could both be docked points for breaching financial rules. How many get deducted and the outcome of any appeal will affect a host of teams and could keep Sheffield United and Burnley interested when ordinarily they would be certainties to go down.

Luton could also benefit as they are still very much in touch even if no points are taken off as they look to complete an impressive first season at this level. Brentford and Crystal Palace will be also keeping a close eye on matters and they could be pulled into danger if they end the season poorly.

Pep Guardiola admitted he will face a nervous wait to see if all of his Manchester City players come through the international window unscathed ahead of a crucial run of games.

City kept alive the possibility of a second treble as they beat Newcastle 2-0 on Saturday to become the first team in the history of the FA Cup to reach the semi-finals in six consecutive seasons.

But the majority of Guardiola’s squad will now be heading off to play international football before the crunch Premier League fixture against title rivals Arsenal on March 31.

“I will not watch the (international) games, I will rest, and when they arrive on Thursday we will see which players survive and which did not survive,” Guardiola said.

“It’s difficult sometimes in that period to give all the players away for friendly games in a difficult part of the season, but the schedule is the schedule.”

Two deflected strikes from Bernardo Silva were enough for City to ease to victory over outclassed Newcastle, booking the first of what City hope will be three visits to Wembley before the end of the season, with the national stadium hosting the Champions League final on June 1.

“One step at a time,” said Guardiola, who will enjoy a break in his native Catalunya during the internationals. “First we have a final against Arsenal. But now we rest. I don’t want to think too much in the future.

“It’s been an intense period. Now the players change environment, it is always good for their mind. Some will be with their families, the staff will be with their families, and then when we come back we have three games to prepare for the game against Arsenal. Let’s go.”

Speaking immediately after Saturday’s game, Guardiola said he needed Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish to come back fit after the break, and also mentioned Erling Haaland, who missed two months of the season through injury earlier in the season.

But although the Norwegian was unable to add to his eight FA Cup goals in Saturday’s match, bending a shot narrowly wide early in the second half, Guardiola was happy with the striker’s performance.

“This was the Erling I like to see,” he said. “In the moments we didn’t find him a little more with the players behind him…We should have used him a little bit more in the space but sometimes it’s difficult to see during the game.”

Grealish was an unused substitute following a groin injury which saw him left out of Gareth Southgate’s England squad, but Guardiola predicted he would be ready for the Arsenal match.

“Now we have 10 days to train,” he said. “We have a plan for him to train and he will be ready. Every three days we have a game in the final (stages) of the Premier League and the final (stages) of the Champions League. Everyone will be needed.”

Holders Manchester City will face Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals with rivals Manchester United taking on outsiders Coventry.

The draw for the last four raises the prospect of a repeat of last season’s all-Manchester final.

Treble-chasing City eased through with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Newcastle on Saturday while Chelsea saw off Leicester 4-2.

United’s reward for a thrilling 4-3 extra-time victory over Liverpool on Sunday is a clash with Championship outfit Coventry, who stunned Wolves 3-2.

Coventry are managed by former United striker Mark Robins, scorer of a crucial winner as the Red Devils beat Nottingham Forest en route to winning the competition in 1990 – a goal widely believed to have saved Sir Alex Ferguson’s job as manager.

The Sky Blues famously won the cup in 1987 but have endured some lean years since their relegation from the Premier League in 2001.

United are hoping to win the trophy for the first time since 2016 while Chelsea last won the cup in 2018.

The matches will be played at Wembley on the weekend of April 20-21.

Pep Guardiola praised the attitude of his Manchester City players after they became the first team in the history of the FA Cup to reach the semi-finals in six consecutive seasons.

Two deflected strikes from Bernardo Silva secured a 2-0 win over Newcastle and the first of what City hope will be three visits to Wembley before the end of the season as they remain in the hunt for a second consecutive treble.

Guardiola is keen to deflect talk of that but praised their consistency, pointing to their record both in the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, which they won in four consecutive years between 2018 and 2021.

“After we won the treble, and five titles, we’re coming to the international break with two months left and to be in contention for all the titles means a lot,” the City boss said.

“I know people talk about the Premier League, the Champions League, but to have won four Carabao Cups and (reach) six FA Cup semi-finals in a row, this team, this club, has something special, so it’s incredible.

“Of course we want to win all of them but sometimes this is not possible basically for the quality of the opponents and the schedule we have…but we were there six times in a row.

“Always you can have a bad night or a bad afternoon and to be there six times, you didn’t have a bad night. And for those that doubt the consistency of the team you prove they are wrong.”

City effectively put this tie to bed early on. The opener came in the 13th minute when Silva’s right-footed strike looped up off Dan Burn and into the net, and just after the half-hour mark, the Portugal international cut on to his left to hit a shot that found its way in off Sven Botman’s head.

Silva signed a one-year contract extension in September, but while his terms run until 2026, the 29-year-old has been the subject of long-running speculation over a move away.

“Everybody loves him,” Guardiola said of the midfielder. “He is really important for us and that he stays is really, really important.”

Newcastle ended City’s aspirations in the Carabao Cup in September with a 1-0 win at St James’ Park, but have since suffered home and away defeats in the Premier League to the reigning champions, and rarely threatened to trouble Guardiola’s side here, managing only two attempts at goals all game.

Manager Eddie Howe was pleased with how his defenders marshalled City’s attack and could only rue the deflected nature of the goals.

“Of course the goals are difficult to take, especially the first one with a big deflection to fly into the top corner,” Howe said. “That’s the football gods working against us in that respect. I thought the lads gave everything today.

“Manchester City are very difficult to play against at any time but when they’re in that kind of mood, they pick those players with a technical base, their aim was to keep possession and make it difficult for us. We’re trying to unsettle their rhythm, it’s a really delicate game and I thought we did OK.”

Defeat ensures Newcastle’s wait for a major domestic trophy will continue into a 70th year. They sit 10th in the Premier League, a long way from the side that finished fourth last term, but Howe is still targeting a return to European football.

“I don’t think we can feel sorry for ourselves,” Howe said.

“This season could have ended up very different, some of the big moments have gone against us, but we have to take responsibility for that.

“We will come back. The two-week break has come at a good time for us to let this result sink in and then focus on our last 10 games in the Premier League.”

Two deflected strikes from Bernardo Silva saw Manchester City become the first team in the history of the FA Cup to reach the semi-finals six seasons running with a 2-0 win over Newcastle.

Pep Guardiola may not want to talk about the prospect of a second treble, but his side are now unbeaten in their last 22 games in all competitions going into the international break after what turned into a Saturday evening stroll in the Manchester rain.

Newcastle can point to a crippling injury list, but the team that ended City’s aspirations in the Carabao Cup back in September could barely lay a glove on them this time, finishing the match with only two efforts at goal to City’s 16.

Guardiola made five changes to the side held 1-1 at Liverpool last weekend, some of them enforced after injuries to Ederson and Kevin De Bruyne, but his players did not skip a beat as they dominated play from the off.

Silva’s 13th-minute opener was the hosts’ first real sight of goal but it had all been City up to that point as they looked for an opening.

When Silva took a stride forward in the Newcastle box, he found space to try a curling shot which deflected off Dan Burn to leave Martin Dubravka wrong-footed.

The second goal came in the 31st minute. Where Silva hit the opener with his right foot, this time he cut inside on to his left and looked for the far post, instead finding the net with the help of Sven Botman’s head.

Newcastle needed a response as the game threatened to get away from them before half-time. In the 36th minute Burn headed Jacob Murphy’s ball back across goal to Alexander Isak, but his well-struck shot was kept out by the left palm of Stefan Ortega.

The German goalkeeper would have always expected to play in this match as Guardiola’s regular cup starter, but it was a welcome sign for City given the injury Ederson suffered at Anfield last weekend.

At the other end a lovely spin from Phil Foden put the England man through on goal, but Bruno Guimaraes did well to force him wide as his off-balance shot missed the target.

They kept the pressure on in the closing minutes of the half as Dubravka saved from Jeremy Doku and then, from the resulting corner, kept out Ruben Dias’ close-range header.

And City were straight back on it at the start of the first half as Foden’s flick released Doku, whose low shot across goal was well saved by the goalkeeper.

Erling Haaland, whose scored five goals as City brushed aside Luton 6-2 in the previous round, then tried his luck, taking the ball from Mateo Kovacic on the halfway line and driving at the Newcastle defence before curling a shot narrowly wide of the post.

The third goal that might have killed the game off completely would not come, yet City rarely looked troubled.

In the 65th minute Silva was dispossessed and Newcastle substitute Miguel Almiron charged at goal. Isak, in plenty of space to his right, demanded the ball but when it came, the pass was behind him and the chance – a rare one for the Magpies – disappeared.

City sent on Oscar Bobb, scorer of their stoppage-time winner at St James’ Park in January, and Julian Alvarez as they kept looking for a third, but Haaland was twice denied late on.

Pep Guardiola hopes to have the Jack Grealish of last season back for the closing stages of Manchester City’s latest push for silverware.

Grealish, a key part of City’s treble success last season, has endured a frustrating campaign this time around.

He missed a month early in the season with a dead leg and a groin problem has limited him to just one appearance in City’s last seven games.

The 28-year-old also had a spell out through illness and had personal matters to deal with after a high-profile burglary at his home.

His form has suffered and, with other players excelling in his place, he has not been able to get a consistent run in the side.

Yet he could return as City take on Newcastle in the FA Cup quarter-finals at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and Guardiola believes the player can get back to his best.

The City manager said: “We’ll see. We have this game and then two weeks where he will work hard and as clever as possible to be ready when we come back.

“He’s trained the last two or three days really good. He feels good and positive.

“Saturday maybe we’ll need him and then he has these two weeks especially to work well and come back.

“Then we can have the Jack that unfortunately this season we had few, few times – and he can help us.

“Always we dream of arriving at the last international break of the season in all competitions.

“Jack has helped us but not like last season. That’s why the most important thing is to recover well from this minor injury and take a good condition in case we need him.

“I’m not going to say how important Jack is – of course he is. But he has to be ready.”

City will come up against one of world football’s standout players in Jude Bellingham when they face Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League next month.

The holders have been drawn against the Spanish giants for a third successive season and Guardiola recognises they are a tougher proposition with the Englishman in their midfield.

City overpowered Real in last year’s semi-finals with a 4-0 win in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium.

Guardiola said of Bellingham: “His impact has been massive. It’s a different team from last season. His influence is obvious, and we have to try to discover what he does to control it.

“Facing Real Madrid is always a tough challenge, nobody can deny it. They are an exceptional club, and in this competition can control many things with the experience they have had in the past.

“We have made steps in the last few years but it could be so difficult.”

Pep Guardiola is relishing another clash with Real Madrid after Manchester City were pitted against the Spanish giants for a third successive year.

Champions League holders City will take on the competition’s record 14-time winners in the quarter-finals of this season’s competition next month.

The two clubs have met in the semi-finals for the past two years, with Real winning in 2022 but City avenging that loss – wrapped up with a 4-0 win at the Etihad Stadium – last term.

“It looks like a little bit of a tradition, three years in a row playing the kings of the competition,” said City manager Guardiola following Friday’s draw.

“Hopefully we can arrive in a good moment but there are still a few weeks before the first game in Madrid.

“When people say draws are easy, you undermine the other opponent but it’s not necessary to say what Real Madrid are in this competition. When you play the latter stages you play against the best teams in Europe and Real Madrid are totally there.

“But all the opponents are really tough, everybody knows it. We were excited before the draw because it’s a privilege every time we are here. It is a special competition.”

City’s immediate priority is Saturday’s home FA Cup quarter-final tie against Newcastle.

It will be the fourth time the two clubs have faced each other this season, with City edging both Premier League meetings but the Magpies prevailing in the Carabao Cup.

Guardiola said: “This season and the previous one, and the previous one – since Eddie Howe was there and the people from Saudi Arabia took over – they have always been tight games.

“I don’t expect differently but we have an incredible chance at home with our people. From now on, until the end of the season, we need at every home game the support of our fans like we had against (Manchester) United.

“I can’t remember an environment like that for a long time and we need that tomorrow.”

City will be without key players Kevin De Bruyne and Ederson but Jack Grealish is back in contention after missing six of the last seven games with groin trouble.

“He’s getting better,” Guardiola said. “He’s in the group.”

De Bruyne was this week left out of the Belgium squad after it emerged he carried a groin injury into last week’s draw at Liverpool.

“He’s not ready,” Guardiola said. “He played at Anfield with some problems but he’s getting better.

“He’s not ready for tomorrow and we spoke with the Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco and he decided not to go. I’m grateful because he didn’t feel good.

“He can recover for the last part of the season. All the players today in modern football are not clean, always they have problems. It’s better to take a step back.”

Goalkeeper Ederson, who suffered a thigh injury as he fouled Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez to concede a penalty, should also return after the international break. Stefan Ortega will deputise this weekend.

Kevin De Bruyne will miss Manchester City’s FA Cup quarter-final against Newcastle on Saturday with a minor groin injury.

The news emerged after the City playmaker was not included in Belgium’s squad for their international friendlies against the Republic of Ireland and England later this month.

The PA news agency understands the problem is not considered too serious by City and the club are hopeful he will be fit for their crucial Premier League clash with Arsenal on March 31.

It is nevertheless another setback for De Bruyne after missing most of the first half of the campaign following hamstring surgery.

It is unclear when the 32-year-old suffered the injury. He looked frustrated to be substituted after 69 minutes of last Sunday’s 1-1 draw at title rivals Liverpool but there was no suggestion at the time he was injured.

It is City’s second fitness blow in the space of a few days after goalkeeper Ederson was ruled out for up to four weeks with a thigh injury.

The Brazilian was hurt in a collision with Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez – in which he conceded a penalty – at Anfield and was replaced by number two Stefan Ortega.

Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola's honesty has been hugely refreshing for the Premier League, so says David James.

In what is set to be the final Premier League meeting between the great managerial rivals, Liverpool and Manchester City served up a thrilling 1-1 draw at Anfield on Sunday.

For the second time in the last three seasons, Liverpool and City have drawn both of their meetings in a Premier League campaign (2021-22 and 2023-24). Four of the last six meetings between the two in the top flight have ended level, as many as in the previous 17 combined (four).

Guardiola, meanwhile, is the manager to have beaten Klopp the most in the German's career, with 10 wins. But it is the same the other way around, with Klopp having overcome Guardiola's sides on 11 occasions.

With Klopp leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, the only way he and Guardiola can go head-to-head again in English football will be if the Reds and City were to meet in the FA Cup, should they progress beyond their respective quarter-final ties, and former England goalkeeper James believes the honesty that both men have provided during their stints in the top tier has been hugely impressive.

"There's one thing about these two and I think it's their honesty," he told Stats Perform.

"Right from the get go when Pep turned up [in 2016], the way that he talked about his football. I think you can see in how his teams are playing games.

"After matches, win, lose or draw, he would tell people how he thought the performance went. I think that was refreshing because a lot of managers still avoid the hard questions when people talk about performances, whether it was good or bad.

"Pep honestly responded. I think with Jurgen, [it's] the honesty just in general. In terms of him announcing that he's going to step down as Liverpool manager. I think that the way he comes over, you just believe everything he says.

"That is not to suggest he isn't telling the truth, but that's what I love about it. I think what they've done is move the benchmark for other managers coming in.

"In regards to a rivalry, I think they love each other and hate each other at the same time. They're so good and they've kept this league so honest, it's been amazing."

Asked for his thoughts on how Liverpool go about replacing Klopp, who has been in post since 2015, James added: "Obviously with Jurgen having to be replaced for next season, it'll be interesting what type of manager Liverpool get.

"Because football-wise you can get a manager that has more influence on the pitch that Jurgen has but off the field it will be difficult to replace him."

Liverpool have been heavily linked with Xabi Alonso, though Bayern Munich are also in the hunt for the Bayer Leverkusen coach.

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