Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City visited Fulham on Saturday afternoon (Picture: Getty)
Pep Guardiola has explained why he benched Kyle Walker for Manchester City’s crucial clash with Fulham and says Jack Grealish was absent altogether due to illness.
Man City travelled to Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon looking to leapfrog Arsenal at the top of the Premier League ahead of the Gunners’ next match against Manchester United on Sunday.
The title is in Guardiola’s hands but any blip against Fulham, Tottenham or West Ham will give Arsenal the chance to lift the Premier League trophy for the first time since 2004.
Guardiola made one change from the side that thumped Wolves 5-1 last weekend, benching Walker and bringing in Ruben Dias. Walker’s England team-mate Grealish missed out altogether through illness.
Explaining his decision to leave out Walker – who has started 28 of Manchester City’s 35 Premier League games this season, Guardiola said: ‘No specific [reason] but Kyle didn’t train the last two days and was partial [not fully fit].
‘We have a game on Tuesday [away at Tottenham] and Ruben [Dias] is so reliable in these type of games. [Jack Grealish] was feeling ill in the last minute, but he is okay.’
The hosts made one change for the visit of Premier League champions Man City, Marco Silva recalling Bobby De Cordova-Reid for the injured Sasa Lukic.
On the threat of Fulham, who Man City’s title rivals Arsenal failed to beat twice this season, Guardiola added: ‘They have always have been good.
‘It depends on the result, but we struggle here all the time. Marco Silva is an excellent manger. We try to read what we have to do and impose our game.
‘We know what we are playing for. Three finals and starting with the first one, then we have the chance to fight for the next two.’
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Fulham have not won a Premier League home game against Manchester City in 11 attempts since 2005.
Asked what he expects from his side, who are 13th in the table, Silva said: ‘To be competitive like we have been so far this season.
‘We know we are going to face the champions [of last season] and a great side a team with lot of quality.
‘Huge respect to them, but we are looking at ourselves. We are going to give it a good game and try get three points.’
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