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The much-anticipated curtain-raiser clash between Manchester City and Manchester United is set for Saturday, August 10, as the two rivals compete for the first trophy of the season. However, Pep Guardiola’s City side has already been dealt a significant blow, with a key player reportedly ruled out of the game.
Jack Grealish, who had a strong pre-season in the United States, is the player in question, though the exact reason for his absence is not yet clear. Guardiola did not provide any specifics in his press conference, but according to FPLMaineRoad on X (cited via CityXtra), the winger will not feature in the Community Shield game.
Grealish had a stellar 2022-23 season during which Manchester City won the treble, but his last season was marked by inconsistent performances due to multiple injuries. As a result, he lost his place with England and did not travel to the Euros.
Despite this setback, Guardiola expressed his satisfaction with Grealish’s return and praised his commitment during pre-season in the pre-match press conference.
"What I’ve seen so far here, one week in the pre-season on tour, I loved it. I don’t care how he (Grealish) performs, it’s every session his commitment and his trying, against Barcelona he made five or six shots, he was aggressive with the ball, that’s all, after that his quality will do the rest," Guardiola said (via Manchester City website).
With the 28-year-old’s absence, it will be interesting to see who Guardiola chooses to play on the left side for Manchester City on Saturday. The Spaniard might opt for the in-form Oscar Bobb, or he could consider Jeremy Doku and Savinho, who only joined training at the start of the week.
Pep Guardiola takes a subtle dig at rivals’ spending ahead of Manchester Derby
Manchester City have not been very active in the transfer market regarding new arrivals, with only Savinho joining for a reported £35 million. They have also sold several players, including Julian Alvarez, who is set to move to Atletico Madrid for a reported £82 million.
In contrast, Saturday’s opponents Manchester United and their primary title challengers Arsenal have spent significantly on new players to improve their squads.
When questioned about the spending of rival teams, Guardiola quickly pointed out that media coverage of Manchester City’s spending differs from that of other big clubs, noting that big clubs have been investing heavily for many years.
"Yes, many years they have done it. Many years, but it’s not news. It’s just when City spend money. Of course I am concerned for many years [about] how good they are. Because every year they are better and getting better," Guardiola said.
"You see Arsenal playing at the same level as last season, I saw the game against [Bayer] Leverkusen - they are on fire. Every year looks more difficult; United will be back, you know? They bought players and everyone wants the crown that we have [had] for four years," he added (via Goal).
Following their clash against Manchester United, the reigning Premier League champions will play their opening game at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea (August 18) before facing Ipswich Town at the Etihad Stadium (August 24).
