Manchester City have an absolutely huge game coming up this weekend against Arsenal – and one player reportedly feels he will not be fit to play.
The Gunners come to the Etihad Stadium, and Pep Guardiola is hoping for a statement win and performance.
The title race is extremely tight right now, and City may potentially need to be perfect between now and the end of the season to claim a fourth straight title.
City have a number of injury doubts ahead of the game – and John Stones is reportedly worried about his prospects of playing in the game.
John Stones ‘losing his battle’ to play against Arsenal for Manchester City
On Tuesday night, City fans watched in horror as John Stones went off with an injury for England after just 10 minutes.
This followed Kyle Walker going off against Brazil in the game before.
Stones has had a frustrating season with injuries, and it looks as though he could well be set for another spell on the sidelines.
The Daily Star have reported that the 29-year-old is ‘losing his battle’ to face Arsenal on Sunday. He is undergoing scans in Manchester, but is said to be ‘not hopeful’ of being passed fit. He fears he will be forced to miss out.
Walker is also in doubt to play against Arsenal. It was reported yesterday that he currently as about a 50% chance of being fit.
A hammer blow
It sounds very much as though Stones is unlikely to be playing this weekend against Arsenal – and that is a hammer blow for Guardiola.
£250k-a-week star Stones – who was branded ‘extraordinary’ recently by Gary Lineker – has been fantastic when he has played this season, and has impressed pushing on into more advanced midfield positions than usual.
Guardiola is a huge Stones fan, and he and Rodri together in the midfield are a truly formidable pairing.
Things could change between now and Sunday, but at the moment it does not sound like he’ll be in that starting XI.
