Man City injury latest as Pep Guardiola gives big update on four players
Bernardo Silva and John Stones are ready to return to the Manchester City starting line-up against Brentford having dropped to the bench against Chelsea at the weekend.
Both players have been battling with their fitness as City's schedule returns to playing twice a week. Bernardo got a kick at Copenhagen last week to rule him out of the XI against Chelsea although he did come off the bench. He hasn't started two games in the same week since facing Sheffield United and Everton over Christmas.
Stones has started three of the last five games since returning from his own injury, including against Everton and Copenhagen last week, before sitting on the bench for the draw with Chelsea. Explaining their condition, Guardiola simply said everyone in the squad is fit, barring the existing injuries to Jack Grealish and Josko Gvardiol.
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City will again be without Grealish and Gvardiol, who will be out for another week or two with respective muscular and ankle ligament injuries. Aside from that, they welcomed back Mateo Kovacic and Sergio Gomez from injury at the weekend to near a fully-fit squad for the first time this season.
Looking ahead to Brentford, Guardiola discussed the threats of Neal Maupay and Ivan Toney - with Maupay at the centre of a number of controversies during City's win at the Bees recently.
"He's a good football player," said Guardiola. Sometimes it (flashpoints) happens but I'm pretty sure the intention is good.
"Toney is so dangerous. He's a master to use his body for the second ball, good finishing, you can link with him he's one of the best i've ever seen
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