Manchester City will have Nico O’Reilly available as they face Arsenal on Sunday, but the match will come too soon for Ruben Dias.
The Gunners will trek north this weekend with their grip on the Premier League title quickly loosening. Their lead once stood at 12 points but has been reduced to six, and City can draw level if they win both this match and their game in hand.
They had two injury concerns coming into the match, though, after O’Reilly was withdrawn early from last week’s defeat of Chelsea with an apparent knock shortly after scoring the opener. It was unclear whether he had trained in the lead-up to the match.
Ruben Dias was also considered a doubt as he continued his recovery from a hamstring injury, though reports emerged on Friday morning claiming he had been ruled out.
Guardiola has now laid to rest any fears surrounding O’Reilly’s fitness, though, confirming he is fit to face Arsenal. He could not do the same for Dias, though.
"Ruben [Dias] is not ready still but Nico [O'Reilly] is fine,” he told reporters. "I prefer to have everyone available but during the season, there are always injuries."
Elsewhere for City, Dias’ fellow defenders John Stones and Josko Gvardiol will sit this match out.
Guardiola can come into this match cautiously confident after his City side schooled Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final last month, winning 2-0 thanks to a brace from O’Reilly. He will know full well that a win here would leave a seventh Premier League title well within reach.
