Manchester City’s first-choice goalkeeper Ederson is set to return for the champions’ Premier League clash with Wolves on Saturday.
The club feared the Brazil international could miss most of the remainder of the season after he suffered a shoulder injury in last weekend’s victory at Nottingham Forest.
Yet the problem has not proved serious and the 30-year-old is back in contention as City host Wolves at the Etihad Stadium in another fixture crucial to their title hopes.
Manager Pep Guardiola said at a press conference: “Ederson is OK. It looked worse but he feels good. He trained and feels good.”
PEP 💬 [Phil Foden and Ruben Dias] are okay. [Ederson's injury] looked worse than it is. He trained yesterday and feels good. He could be back against Wolves. pic.twitter.com/n1VkvJpJFU
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 3, 2024
City trail leaders Arsenal by a point ahead of the weekend fixtures but have a game in hand.
Guardiola’s side, who also play in the FA Cup final later this month, have four Premier League games remaining to the Gunners’ three.
City, with the experience of successive titles behind them, are the firm favourites but Guardiola has played down the significance of their past record.
“I would love to think it does but I don’t know,” he said. “We have to prove it tomorrow against Wolves and in the next games.
“We know we have to win all 12 points, otherwise it will be difficult because Arsenal are so strong, so consistent.
“It depends on us. It’s no more complicated than that. I’d love to say what we have done in the past will happen this season but nobody knows it.”
Guardiola, meanwhile, has played down his role in the development of newly-named Football Writers’ Association men’s footballer of the year Phil Foden.
The 23-year-old England midfielder was announced as the winner of the prize on Friday after a fine campaign in which he has scored 24 goals and provided 10 assists in all competitions.
Guardiola handed the academy graduate his first-team debut in 2017 and has overseen his progress since but he insisted the credit belonged to Foden himself.
He said: “Thank you so much for giving me incredible credit, but it’s not about that. It belongs to the amount of minutes he plays and learns – the work ethic, mentality.
“As managers we can suggest something depending on the opponents but it belongs to them.
Footballer of the Year @PhilFoden told the FWA website: “Being named the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year is a huge honour. I’m very, very happy to receive this award but I could not have done it without the help of my team-mates. We have a very special squad… pic.twitter.com/FzGQhzYk2x
— The Football Writers' Association (@theofficialfwa) May 3, 2024
“If the writers decide, congratulations for the writers and him. He’s played really good this season.
“Every year, the amount of games he’s playing, the minutes he is playing, he is more mature. He understands the game but we have to continue. He’s still young.”
Asked how much Foden can still improve, Guardiola said: “It depends on him, simple as that.
“The mentality, wanting to do it more, to do it again, to live 24 hours for my game, for the profession. It depends on him, like all the players.
“Always you can improve until you retire and until you die.”