Ederson Doubt For Manchester City’s Premier League Showdown With Liverpool

Manchester City were dealt a worrying blow on Wednesday night when Ederson suffered a thigh injury just four days before the titanic clash with Liverpool.

The City goalkeeper complained of a muscle problem and was substituted at half-time of the 1-1 Champions League draw at Atalanta.

Ederson is a major doubt for the trip to Anfield and Pep Guardiola would have to call on Claudio Bravo if his No 1 fails to prove his fitness.

Bravo – who last started a Premier League game in May 2018 – was embarrassingly sent off but Guardiola insisted the Chilean retains his full faith.

‘We have a lot of trust in Claudio,’ Guardiola said. ‘I know him, so why should I have doubts in my players? We have a lot of things we have had to overcome.

‘Claudio is ready. He is an incredible professional. He is ready. I don’t know about Ederson right now. It’s a muscular problem, it’s not big. He didn’t feel comfortable the last minutes of the first half.’

Ederson has played in all of City’s Premier League and Champions League matches this season.

He suffered a similar injury scare in January this year when he sustained a leg injury in a 2-1 defeat by Newcastle.

On that occasion, however, he did recover in time to take on Arsenal in the next game.

Kyle Walker took over in goal when Bravo saw red with nine minutes remaining after goalkeeping coach Xabi Mancisidor suggested he possessed the requisite bravery.

‘We didn’t think beforehand but Xabi suggested him because of his courage,’ Guardiola added. ‘We were lucky that we just conceded one shot on target. Congratulations to Kyle for his courage and the desire to help the team.’

Walker said: ‘Did I volunteer? I think it was a bit of both, I try and sometimes banter the keepers in training telling them to catch it and stuff but as I found tonight you sometimes have to take two touches.

‘All jokes aside we came here to get a point or a victory and we knew it was going to be difficult because they play man-to-man and they’re a good team.’

Walker’s team-mates thanked him, with Benjamin Mendy saying: ‘It’s not easy to take this responsibility and he was a big goalkeeper and saved a free-kick and it’s one game we’re going to remember it if we go far in this cup.’