Guardiola confirms De Bruyne, Grealish, Dias injury issues ahead of Manchester

Pep Guardiola has confirmed his Manchester City side have several players who are injury doubts ahead of next Saturday’s FA Cup final against Manchester United.

Kevin De Bruyne, Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji were not among the City group which travelled down to London for the 1-0 defeat by Brentford on the final day of the Premier League season.

And Guardiola confirmed that Dias and Grealish had not trained for 10 days amid a gruelling month of football for City, who have also reached the Champions League final and played 11 matches in the last 36 days.

“We have four or five players with niggles,” Guardiola said after the Brentford loss, “not big injuries but they are injuries, they are not fit for a few days already, weeks.

“The guys who didn’t play here that normally play, they were really exhausted yesterday or the day before.

“We spoke with them and they said that they were mentally drained completely so… and the guys who played today, they deserved it. It was important for me to see them. Nathan (Ake) back from injury… now we need to rest and arrive at United with the right energy.”

Asked who was suffering from injury issues, Guardiola said: “The guys who are in Manchester.

“Ruben didn’t train for 10 days and Jack Grealish neither. After the Brighton game (on Wednesday), Kevin felt the same feelings he had before weeks ago, they could not play a few games.

“It’s not a big, big issue. I think they will be ready (for the FA Cup final) but it’s not to be ready (after), it’s to be ready in the training sessions. Phil (Foden) is incredible top form, Riyad (Mahrez) played well, Cole (Palmer) was so active in many things.”

On whether those players will be fit in time for the all-important FA Cup final as Premier League champions City seek to record a historic treble, Guardiola added: “I don’t know right now.

“Wednesday… they will train tomorrow, recovery, so yeah, hopefully but right now, I don’t know.”

City lost 1-0 at the Gtech Community Stadium after a late goal from Ethan Pinnock.

City face United at Wembley next Saturday, before meeting Inter Milan in the Champions League final a week later.

(Photo: Getty Images)