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Pep Guardiola gives injury update on star midfielder after Brighton defeat

By Rohan Sengupta

Manchester City's English midfielder Raheem Sterling (R) celebrates scoring his team's second goal with Manchester City's Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus (C) during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Manchester City at Turf Moor in Burnley, north west England on February 3, 2021. (Photo by Gareth Copley / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by GARETH COPLEY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Manchester City's English midfielder Raheem Sterling (R) celebrates scoring his team's second goal with Manchester City's Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus (C) during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Manchester City at Turf Moor in Burnley, north west England on February 3, 2021. (Photo by Gareth Copley / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by GARETH COPLEY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Pep Guardiola provided an injury update on midfielder Ilkay Gundogan after 10-man Manchester City’s shock 3-2 Premier League defeat to Brighton at the Amex Stadium on Tuesday.

Ilkay Gundogan, 30, opened the scoring for Manchester City with a header inside two minutes but saw his involvement in the game ended prematurely. The midfielder was on the receiving end of some robust tackles and challenges from Brighton players, and he ultimately limped off in the 54th minute with Fernandinho replacing him in midfield.

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However, Pep Guardiola admitted that Gundogan’s substitution was more as a precautionary measure with the UEFA Champions League final against Chelsea on the horizon, whilst claiming the initial check-ups was cause for optimism.

"“Tomorrow we are going to check it, the doctor is quite optimistic,” Guardiola declared when asked about Gundogan’s injury.“The problem is he had a kick and he was running in the second half with a disturbance.“I didn’t want to take a risk, that’s why we did the substitution.”"

Source: Manchester City FC

Ilkay Gundogan has been one of the most reliable performers over the last couple of seasons under Pep Guardiola. He has been integral to the Cityzens’ rich success this term, contributing 17 goals and five assists in all formats. That includes three goals in the Champions League, where he netted against FC Porto and Marseille in the group stages as well as in the Round of 16 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach.

When Kevin De Bruyne got injured in the 2-0 win over Aston Villa, Sergio Aguero was out with Coronavirus and Gabriel Jesus was misfiring, it was Gundogan who stepped up his game and delivered the goods for Manchester City. The Germany international, who is City’s top scorer this season, has thrived in Guardiola’s striker-less system.

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A classy operator with and without the ball, Gundogan has raised many eyebrows by adding a lot of goals to his name. The 17 strikes across all competitions for Manchester City mean this is already the midfielder’s best tally for a single season.

With the Champions League final against Chelsea coming up later this month, it’s obvious to see the City fans get anxious over the fitness of the in-form Gundogan. Luckily, the injury to the 30-year-old midfielder isn’t a grave one and there is no point risking him against Everton on Sunday in the Sky Blues’ final game of the 2020/21 Premier League campaign.

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