A Manchester City star on £150,000-a-week is in a protective boot and set for an extended spell on the sidelines.
Pep Guardiola celebrates 1,000th game as manager in Man City win over Liverpool
Prior to the international break, Pep Guardiola took charge of his 1,000th game as a manager as his City side defeated Premier League rivals Liverpool 3-0.
Jeremy Doku was the star of the show on the pitch at the Etihad, rounding off his performance with a goal in the second half after first half strikes from Erling Haaland and Nico Gonzalez.
Talking after the win at the Etihad, Guardiola reflected on his managerial career, which began at Barcelona B in 2007.
"I think my period at Barcelona B is the foundation for many things. To realise that I was able to do it and learn a lot.
"I will never forget the guys in that first season. For me, it has been so special to make 1,000 games in front of my family and especially against Liverpool. I have a huge respect for that club."
Over the last 18 years, Guardiola has won 716 games in charge and looks set to lead City in another title battle with league leaders Arsenal.
Pep Guardiola's 1,000 games as a manager by numbers
Wins
Draws
Losses
Trophies
Goals scored
Goals conceded
However, he will have to do that for large parts of the season without one of his trusted midfielders.
Injury update on Man City’s Mateo Kovacic
According to reports relayed by Sport Witness, Mateo Kovacic underwent successful surgery last Friday on ‘calcifications’ that had grown in his heel.
Mateo-Kovacic
The midfielder, who has made just one Premier League appearance all season following Achilles surgery in the summer, is now set to travel down to London next week to have stitches removed.
Now in a protective boot, a rehabilitation programme usually lasts four months, so Kovacic, on £150,000-a-week, will hopefully return by March as he looks to get minutes before the World Cup with Croatia.
Between now and March, Man City currently have 22 games scheduled in all competitions plus the FA Cup third round tie that has yet to be drawn.
Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic is hoping to have Kovacic recovered in time for the World Cup next summer, recently saying: “I hope Kovacic won’t miss the World Cup. He has similar problems to those he had four or five months ago.
”We believe he’ll be with us at the World Cup. I’d like him to be back in March. It must be tough for him. The injury and the surgery are taking a psychological toll on him. I hope Kovacic gets through it all.”
Man City leading race for Rodrygo with Real Madrid future now in major doubt