Pep Guardiola Discusses Player Injuries, Kevin De Bruyne’s Future, and Jack Grealish’s Role Ahead of Crystal Palace Match

Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, addressed the media in advance of the club’s Premier League fixture against Crystal Palace on Saturday, scheduled for a 15:00 GMT kick-off. The following are the principal points from his press briefing: Regarding team updates, Guardiola stated: “Nathan [Ake] is out. Manuel [Akanji] – we’ll see. Still they are out [longer-term players].” He further confirmed that Phil Foden remains unavailable. Addressing questions about Kevin de Bruyne, Guardiola commented: “I’m not involved in that [discussions over his future at the club]. I would like to have him at 23 years old and sign a contract for 10 years. We’ll see. The player, the impact, legacy of the club will be forever. It’s not easy [to replace him]. As a club, in the moment it happens, we have to find the best way.” Regarding Jack Grealish’s playing position, Guardiola stated: “He has attributes to play there [in a central role]. I think [when he was at] Aston Villa [he played] from the left position, the winger position, going more inside. Here, more of a fixed position. But he can adapt perfectly in both positions.” When questioned about Grealish’s current fitness level, Guardiola further remarked: “All the players are struggling for their fitness condition right now – the injured players and the players who are fit. That’s why I said it depends how you are going to feel [for the] next games.” Commenting on Crystal Palace, Guardiola observed: “They finished unbelievably last season. Their last 10 games was maybe the best, [they were] one of the best teams. The patterns they have are so aggressive. They are really good and it’s so difficult to make build-up.”