Manchester City has announced that midfielder Phil Foden will miss their upcoming home Premier League game against Liverpool due to an unexpected operation to remove his appendix.
The 22-year-old midfielder had to undergo emergency surgery in London, ruling him out of England’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Ukraine on Sunday.
Foden had been having some symptoms over the past 48 hours, which led England’s doctor to become more concerned. He was then operated on immediately after being referred to a specialist. England marked their first return to Wembley since the 2022 World Cup with a 2-0 victory against Ukraine, but the absence of the City star was felt.
Statements on Foden’s Condition
England boss Gareth Southgate expressed his disappointment at losing Foden from his squad. He said, “On the back of the World Cup, we were hoping to see him back, but he’s also been suffering a bit with this foot injury, and I think this hopefully could clear that up as well at the same time.”
The NHS suggests that people who have had their appendix removed can resume normal activity within two to four weeks, but it remains to be seen whether professional football falls under this category.
Foden has been a crucial part of City’s campaign this season, featuring in 36 matches across all competitions and scoring 13 goals while providing five assists.
What’s Going on with Manchester City?
That said, City confirmed that Foden is not fit to play against Liverpool at the Etihad this coming weekend. The English champions are currently eight points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, but have a game in hand and are fighting on three fronts.
Man City has five league games next month, including a crucial match at home against Arsenal on April 26. Additionally, they face Bayern Munich in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on April 11 and have an FA Cup semi-final match against second-tier side Sheffield United on April 22.
Foden’s absence will undoubtedly be a blow to the Manchester City squad, but the team remains confident in their ability to perform well without him. The midfielder will now return to Manchester to begin his rehabilitation.
Potential Replacements
While Foden is out for the next few games, not all hope is lost for Manchester City. Guardiola has two world-class wingers waiting in the wings to fill in for Foden. Jack Grealish is likely to continue on the left wing, leaving the right-wing spot to be decided.
The logical replacement is Riyad Mahrez, who has been in good form recently, scoring one goal and providing two assists in his last five outings.
Mahrez is not the only option, though. Guardiola also has Julian Alvarez, who can play on the wing, although he may be needed to give Haaland more time to recover. Bernardo Silva is another option, having already covered various positions this season and proving to be reliable whenever he plays.
Despite this setback, City remains focused on their goal of clinching the Premier League title, and fans will be eagerly awaiting news of Foden’s recovery.
