Manchester City's 3-0 victory over Chelsea on Sunday came at a cost, with midfielder Nico O'Reilly forced off with a hamstring injury. The 21-year-old had opened the scoring at Stamford Bridge before being replaced by Rayan Ait-Nouri just over ten minutes later. Manager Pep Guardiola did not provide an update on O'Reilly's condition after the match but appeared unconcerned, sharing a joke with the player as he left the pitch.
In more positive news, City are closing in on the returns of defenders Ruben Dias and John Stones ahead of next weekend's crucial Premier League clash against Arsenal. Dias has been sidelined since mid-March with a hamstring injury sustained against Real Madrid, but Guardiola suggested he could be fit to face the Gunners. 'He is getting better but he is not ready [to face Chelsea],' Guardiola said.
Stones, who has been out since early March with a muscle injury, was expected to return to partial training before the Chelsea match. His involvement in the summer World Cup may depend on proving his fitness in City's run-in. Guardiola said last week, 'Today maybe [Stones] will do partial training, we'll see.' A return could come within weeks if he resumes full training soon.
Mateo Kovacic made his third appearance of the season as a substitute against his former club Chelsea, his first competitive minutes since October. Meanwhile, Josko Gvardiol remains out with a broken leg suffered in January, with Guardiola playing down any chance of a comeback this season. Gvardiol has vowed to return stronger, posting on social media, 'I will rise again, better than ever.'
