They need to rest: Pep Guardiola rules out five City players to miss Community Shield Cup 

They need to rest: Pep Guardiola rules out five City players to miss Community Shield Cup 

Only Manchester United could enter day one of a new season with a defensive injury crisis already underway.

 

While Rasmus Hojlund faces another five weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring issue, the Red Devils supporters will have to wait to see Leny Yoro in action.

 

The £52 million Frenchman has seen his official Manchester United debut delayed by up to three months. Yoro suffered a broken foot on only his second outing of pre-season against Arsenal in the USA.

 

So, with Man United kicking off 2024/25 against rivals Man City in the Community Shield, that is Yoro out for certain. Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw and the exit-linked Aaron Wan-Bissaka are also doubts, meaning United could return to Wembley without four more players who could make up an entire backline.

 

The good news is that United will not encounter a full strength City side as they good head-to-head again with the team they defeated during May’s FA Cup final.

 

Stars missing for Manchester United and Man City at Wembley

Manchester United manager Eric Ten Hag (left) and Bruno Fernandes celebrate winning the Emirates FA Cup Final match between Manchester City and Man…

Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images

Pep Guardiola is keen to give some of his key players plenty of time to recover after a gruelling summer.

 

That means those who stuck around until the very end of the European Championships – England losing to Spain in Berlin – will not return to training until after that Wembley Manchester Derby re-match.

 

“We try to give them the best rest possible. As much (rest) as possible. We would like to give them more time but we gave them a lot,” Guardiola said during his press conference, via Beanyman Sports.

 

 

“End the England players and Rodri will come back next week.”

 

 

As such, Man City will be without the Three Lions trio of Kyle Walker, John Stones and Phil Foden, as well as their most influential midfielder in Rodri. One suspects Erik ten Hag’s injury-hit backline will be pleased to avoid coming up against Foden, in particular.

 

A thorn in United’s side in recent times, he smashed a hat-trick past the Red Devils in late-2022 and also scored a stunner to cancel out Marcus Rashford’s own wondergoal back in March.

 

 

That was one of 27 goals Foden scored throughout the season.

 

Man City will not be able to call upon the services of Julian Alvarez either. The World Cup-winning Argentina international is set to seal an £80 million move to Atletico Madrid.

 

“It was a joy to work with him,” Guardiola says while confirming Alvarez’s imminent departure. “I learnt a lot from him and hopefully he can find what he was looking for.”

 

“He believes his period here must be over so, okay, both clubs (City and Atletico) arrive to an agreement.”

 

Lisandro Martinez faces Erling Haaland again

The Premier League champions will, however, have Erling Haaland ready to lead the line at Wembley. The irrepressible Norwegian has been in formidable form over the summer, dismantling Chelsea with a 51-minute treble.

 

Ten Hag will be hoping, then, that Lisandro Martinez can replicate the outstanding performance he produced to neutralise Haaland last time out at the national stadium, especially with so many other central defensive options unavailable.

 

A performance which had Guardiola putting Martinez among the world’s ‘top five’ defenders.

 

“Harry Maguire missed the game (vs Liverpool in America),” Ten Hag said at his own press conference. (Maguire) was a precaution but is still a question mark for Saturday. So we have training, we have to see whether he is fit enough or not to be available.

 

“Victor played but also he’s a question mark. Also Azza (Wan-Bissaka) and Luke Shaw are both question marks.

 

“We have to assess them (on Friday).”

 

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