Erling Haaland is one of four Manchester City players who are at risk of possible suspension as a result of accumulating five yellow cards before gameweek 19.
Premier League rules stipulate that any player earning five yellow cards from their side’s first 19 matches will serve a one-match ban in the competition.
As Manchester City prepare to face crucial fixtures against Chelsea, Manchester United and Spurs in their next three Premier League matches, Pep Guardiola will be wary of the risk of missing key players.
The Sky Blues, who could be ten points behind league leaders Arsenal come Thursday’s fixture at Stamford Bridge, dropped points for a second successive home game on Saturday.
City had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Frank Lampard’s Everton, leaving their Premier League title hopes finely balanced.
Upcoming league clashes with Chelsea, United and Spurs are set to be defining for City, with the Blues having a particularly poor recent record against the latter.
Manchester City travel to Stamford Bridge on Thursday night and then face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday 14th January.
Tottenham visit the Etihad Stadium on Thursday 19th January, just five days after the Manchester Derby.
Full-time against Spurs will mark the end of City’s 19th gameweek and the point which accumulating five yellow cards wouldn’t incur a suspension.
As a result, four members of Guardiola’s squad, including striker Erling Haaland, are at risk of suspension.
Haaland and Joao Cancelo both have been booked three times so far this season while Bernardo Silva and Rodri have both been shown yellow cards on two occasions.
Yellow cards are not carried over to the FA Cup or Carabao Cup, with City having upcoming fixtures in both competitions during the next month.
Pep Guardiola verdict gave Liverpool green light for Matheus Nunes transfer commitment
Liverpool are believed to be exploring a January move for Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes – who was branded as “one of the best players in the world” by Pep Guardiola last year
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola claimed that Matheus Nunes was “one of the best players in the world” last year – but it’s Liverpool, rather than the reigning Premier League champions, who look set to try and prise the Wolves midfielder away from Molineux this month.
The Reds and City have struck up a fairly bitter rivalry in recent years after battling it out for domestic dominance but Jurgen Klopp’s side have been off the pace in the top-flight this term and are in need of reinforcements in the winter transfer window.
Cody Gakpo has already arrived from PSV Eindhoven; and it now appears as though Klopp and the Anfield hierarchy have their sights set on bolstering their beleaguered midfield.
A fresh report from The Telegraph has outlined that Liverpool are set to rekindle their interest in Nunes. The 24-year-old only joined Wolves in the summer but it is believed that the Reds, who were linked with the playmaker, made a commitment to bid for his services again in the future after missing out.
Nunes’ move to Wolves came with the caveat that he would be allowed to move to another English club once he had adapted to life in the top-flight.
The midfielder’s big Premier League switch came just months after he was lauded by Guardiola – despite the fact that his side were smashed by Manchester City in the Champions League.
Speaking after City’s thumping 5-0 win over Sporting Lisbon back in February, Guardiola said: “Sporting are a fantastic team, they are the champions of Portugal, which have a very strong league, with Porto and Benfica, they change the ball well, they have fast and intelligent players.
“I would say that Matheus Nunes is one of the best players in the world today. Despite the difficulties and some mistakes, I have to be very satisfied because we took a big step towards the next round.”
Nunes was heavily linked with Liverpool before signing for Wolves in the summer
Nunes has failed to make a significant impact since joining Wolves, who are currently floundering near the foot of the Premier League table, but that hasn’t deterred Liverpool from preparing a fresh approach for the Portuguese ace.
Liverpool’s midfield is in desperate need of a revamp. The Reds were believed to biding their time in a bid to snap up Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund next summer; however, it now appears as though Real Madrid are in pole position to land the England prodigy.
Argentina’s World Cup-winning midfield star Enzo Fernandez is also admired by the Anfield hierarchy, but the Reds do not have the financial flexibility to trigger the £106million release clause in Fernandez’ contract this month.
A deal for Nunes would reportedly only set Liverpool back around £44m: a figure which makes the Wolves ace a far more attractive proposition.
Source: cityxtra.co.uk; mirror.co.uk
