Manchester City have a clean bill of health for today’s opening Premier League showdown with Fulham.
Three points at Craven Cottage would take Pep Guardiola’s side above Arsenal in the table, albeit with the Gunners having the chance to quickly respond when they travel to Manchester United on Sunday.
Still, with the defending champions boasting a game in hand over their title rivals, a victory in west London would mean they are just two wins away from an unprecedented fourth consecutive English title.
“No, everything is fine,” said the City boss on the team news front at Friday’s pre-match press conference.
“For many years we have had an incredible medical department with lots of physios doing lots of work. True, we are fortunate for the last season to have few injuries.”
First-choice goalkeeper Ederson recovered from a recent knock to play in the big victory over Wolves last weekend in which star striker Erling Haaland scored four times.
Haaland then reacted angrily to be being substituted while chasing a fifth goal, though Guardiola has since played that down.
The City boss suggested that referee Craig Pawson was in fact the subject of Haaland’s anger.
“There were a lot of long balls into the channels where he won the position and was being pulled by the opponent and it was never [given as] a foul,” he said.
“When he's level with the shoulders I can understand but sometimes he won the position and was being pulled.
“He went down and sometimes it was no foul. It happens every game a lot of times. He was just a bit frustrated for these actions but I can guarantee how happy he was today.”
Predicted Man City XI: Ederson; Walker, Dias, Stones, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic; Foden, De Bruyne, Grealish, Haaland
Injured: None
Doubts: None
Time and date: 12.30pm BST on Saturday May 11, 2024
Venue: Craven Cottage
TV channel and live stream: TNT Sports 1
