Pep Guardiola will take charge of Manchester City’s Premier League clash against Tottenham despite missing the pre-match press conference.
Man City face Spurs on Sunday seeking to record successive Premier League wins after beating Wolves last weekend to end a four-game winless run in the competition.
However, City preparations for their showdown at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium have been slightly disrupted with Guardiola not able to fulfil his media duties ahead of the game.
In Guardiola’s place on Friday afternoon for the pre-match press conference was his assistant Pep Lijnders and he explained the Spaniard’s absence, as well as confirming the City boss is expected to be in the opposing dugout on Sunday.
“The manager is good as always, full of ambition and passion but he is in a personal matter,” Lijnders told reporters.
“He will arrive back here in Manchester today.”
Man City will also be boosted by the returns of Rodri, Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo against Spurs after all three missed the 2-0 Champions League win over Galatasaray in midweek.
Rodri served a one-match ban following his red card in the shock loss to Bodo/Glimt last week, while Guehi and Semenyo had not been registered in City’s Champions League squad after their arrivals this month.
City, though, will be without a host of senior players against Tottenham - including Oscar Bobb after his £27million transfer to Fulham was confirmed on Friday.
Jeremy Doku picked up a calf injury on Wednesday night to join John Stones, Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic and Savinho in the treatment room.
Sunday’s game comes too soon for Ruben Dias to make his return to action as he is pencilled in to take part in team training at the beginning of next week.
