Manchester City: Duo pull out of England squad
It is always a sad time of the year for me, the International break. Manchester City have been going great guns since the beginning of the season, but have had the momentum interrupted twice already.
The first two times, in September and October, were World Cup qualifiers. This time around though, for the most part, it is just friendlies. Heading into a busy part of the season, it frustrates me that top players have to participate in these games.
Clubs would much rather their star players not be involved. Fearful of that freak injury which keeps them out over the congested Christmas period. Vincent Kompany was injured in the September games, and we haven’t seen him since!
Good news for Manchester City came out of the England camp earlier today. It was announced that both Fabian Delph and Raheem Sterling had withdrawn from the International squad, with injuries.
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It doesn’t seem the injuries are that serious, and with City’s next game being on November 18th, they both should be ready to go. Of course, there is already a headache for Pep with that game, in the form of Otamendi. Picking up his fifth yellow card of the season, the Argentinian will be banned for the trip to the KP.
Raheem Sterling was substituted with a little over ten minutes remaining against Arsenal on Sunday. Reports coming out of St Georges Park suggest the City forward has a back issue while Fabian Delph seemed to have picked up a calf strain in the final minutes of the same game.
From a Manchester City aspect, I am glad that neither will be involved in a somewhat meaningless couple of games. On a personal level though, I feel for Fabian Delph. Seemingly surplus to requirements in the summer he stayed and fought for his place in the City side.
Next: Delph Withdraws From England Squad
Doing a fantastic job for Pep at that left back position, he was initially called back into the England squad for the last set of games. Unfortunately, he also had to withdraw from that squad. His last game for England coming away to Spain, almost exactly two years to the day when the Three Lions line up against Brazil.