Arsenal were handed a major Premier League title boost after Manchester City’s draw at Everton with Pep Guardiola still missing three key players
Pep Guardiola will be desperate to have Ruben Dias and Rodri back from injury soon after Manchester City handed Arsenal a Premier League title boost. A 3-3 draw at Everton on Monday has seen the Gunners extend their lead at the top to five points following their 3-0 win over Fulham
Jeremy Doku netted his second of the evening at Hill Dickinson deep into stoppage time to rescue a share of the spoils, yet it proved insufficient to prevent Arsenal from seizing control of the title race.
Strikes from Thierno Barry and Jake O’Brien during a calamitous 13-minute spell at Hill Dickinson Stadium left City trailing and they were unable to recover. Nico Gonzalez was the sole alteration made by Guardiola, with Rodri remaining sidelined after sitting out the previous three fixtures.
A Marc Guehi error sparked Everton’s remarkable comeback, though he and Abdukodir Khusanov look set to retain their places as the central defensive partnership. This is largely due to Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol remaining unavailable, with neither having returned to training alongside their teammates.
FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE! Latest Gunners news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page
Arsenal meanwhile, have been handed some injury boosts with Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz set to return for the Champions League semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid.
With all of that in mind, football.london has taken a look at when City’s injured stars could be back and assessed the likelihood of their return during the run-in.
Rodri
Having been absent for several weeks and yet to rejoin full training, Rodri looks set to sit out this weekend’s fixture against Brentford, though a return could be on the cards for one of the following week’s matches.
What Guardiola has said: “He is getting better. Still hasn’t trained with us, so we will see.”
Possible return date: Chelsea (N) – Saturday, May 16.
Ruben Dias
Dias has been sidelined since mid-March, missing City’s last seven matches across all competitions. With only a handful of weeks left in the season, a return before the final whistle remains a possibility.
What Guardiola has said: “Ruben (Dias) is not yet with the team. Him, Josko (Gvardiol) and Rodri are getting better.”
Possible return date: Aston Villa (H) – Sunday, May 24.
Josko Gvardiol
Gvardiol may also make his comeback before the season draws to a close, despite having undergone surgery on a fractured leg back in January.
What Guardiola has said: “Ruben (Dias) is not yet with the team. Him, Josko (Gvardiol) and Rodri are getting better.”
Possible return date: Villa (H) – Sunday, May 24.
