Nico O’Reilly shall be available for Manchester City’s Premier League showdown against Arsenal on Sunday.
The City academy graduate has been in wonderful form in recent weeks, scoring twice against the Gunners within the Carabao Cup final in March.
After helping his side keep a clean sheet within the 4-0 thrashing of Liverpool within the FA Cup, the left-back was on the rating sheet again last day out against Chelsea, scoring one other header to spark a second-half drubbing of the Blues in west London.
10 minutes after his goal against Chelsea, O’Reilly went down clutching his left hamstring with Rayan Ait-Nouri brought onto replace him.
Pep Guardiola didn’t provide an update on the teenager’s condition after that game.
But speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, he told reporters his young star is ‘effective’ and available for selection.
O’Reilly has began 24 of City’s Premier League matches this term, predominantly at left-back.
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If passed fit, he is predicted to fit in beside Abdukodir Khusanov and Marc Guehi who’re set to proceed at centre-half with Ruben Dias ruled out.
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The Portugal international has missed City’s last 4 games and stays unavailable this weekend with an ankle injury.
Josko Gvardiol stays a long-term absentee with doubts over the fitness of John Stones, who has been limited to simply 15 appearances this season.
After Arsenal’s slip-up against Bournemouth last weekend, a victory for City will see them reduce the gap on the summit of the Premier League to simply three points.
Guardiola’s side even have a game in hand still to play – against Crystal Palace on a date still to be confirmed.
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