Pep Guardiola has stated that Man City is encountering issues, as a double significant blow could allow Liverpool to gain an upper hand in the title race…

Pep Guardiola acknowledges that Manchester City is facing challenges as injuries could provide Liverpool with an advantage in the title race.

Pep Guardiola has expressed concern that Manchester City is in a difficult position, with recent challenges possibly giving Liverpool a competitive advantage in the race for the title.

On Wednesday night, Manchester City experienced a significant setback, suffering their first defeat of the season against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup.

The 2-1 loss marked a critical moment in City’s Premier League title pursuit, with Timo Werner and Pape Sarr scoring in the first half.

Although Matheus Nunes found the net in the fourth minute of stoppage time, it was merely a consolation.

In addition to the defeat, City dealt with two injury setbacks. Defender Manuel Akanji was sidelined after sustaining an injury during the warm-up, while winger Savinho was taken off on a stretcher at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

These injuries add to an already extensive list that includes Rodri, Kevin de Bruyne, Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku, and Oscar Bobb.

Historically, City has been a formidable opponent for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, winning six of the last seven league titles, often by narrow margins.

During Liverpool’s title-winning campaign in 2019/20, they capitalized on City’s injury woes, which saw key players like Sergio Aguero, Aymeric Laporte, and others sidelined by November.

As the current season progresses, injuries could once again play a pivotal role, with Liverpool also facing their own challenges.

First-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker has been unavailable for most of October and is expected to return only after the upcoming international break.

Diogo Jota and Harvey Elliott are recovering, with similar timelines for their return, while new signing Federico Chiesa is still working towards full match fitness.

The Reds are eagerly anticipating the return of this quartet to their lineup soon, while their rivals from Man City are grappling with increasing fatigue issues.

After their exit from the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, Pep Guardiola now has only 13 senior players available for the upcoming matches.

This added pressure follows Guardiola’s concerns regarding his limited options for rotation in cup competitions due to ongoing injury challenges.

“We are facing a situation where many players are injured, and I cannot rotate the squad as I would like.

I am hesitant to place too much burden on the younger players against these opponents, which is why I need to mix the playing time, splitting it into 45-minute segments,” he expressed.

After the match, Guardiola stated, “We have only 13 players available, which puts us in a significant predicament. Most of those who played are finishing the game with issues, and we will have to see how they recover.”

He added, “In times of difficulty, like now, which is unprecedented in my nine years here due to numerous injuries for various reasons, the players tend to step up and unite more than ever. They will strive to recover quickly this week.”

Guardiola also mentioned the latest injury concerning Akanji, saying, “It’s challenging.

“Akanji felt something in his muscle during the last play yesterday, and he didn’t feel well during today’s warm-up. He considered taking a risk, but I advised against it.”

“Ruben (Dias) is also experiencing difficulties at times. Each game is becoming more challenging, but perhaps one day we will all be together again.

“I will always remember those who are here, making sacrifices to play through pain and remain focused for us.”

Amid challenging circumstances for City, Guardiola appears to suggest that if they can preserve the health of their squad and sustain their morale, they could potentially rediscover the same luck that contributed to their success five years prior.