Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Jack Grealish will be sidelined for their upcoming clash against Manchester United on Sunday, March 3.
The Cityzens are set to host their cross-city rivals at the Etihad Stadium in a highly anticipated Premier League fixture, but they will have to do so without Grealish. The midfielder sustained an injury during City’s FA Cup fifth-round match against Luton Town midweek, being substituted off in the 38th minute of their 6-2 victory.
In a pre-match press conference leading up to the Manchester derby, Guardiola revealed that Grealish has suffered a hamstring injury, stating (via Fabrizio Romano):
“Jack Grealish will not be fit for this weekend. He’s out. When he will come back, I don’t know.”
When questioned about Grealish’s availability for England’s upcoming matches during the March international break, Guardiola indicated:
“No. I need to speak with [England manager] Gareth [Southgate], I think he will not be fit. He has to recover well. He has had a setback, he has to recover well so we can use him as much as possible.”
Grealish appeared visibly disappointed upon his early departure from the Luton Town match. Guardiola commented on the situation, stating:
“Yes, he doesn’t have an alternative. Setbacks in life are always there, it’s how you overcome them.”
This season, Grealish has faced challenges in terms of performance compared to his usual standards, having managed just three goals and two assists in 27 appearances for Manchester City across various competitions.
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