Guardiola claims Grealish hasn't fully trained for two days and has only been in the gym, contradicting Carsley's statement that Grealish was back in training. Guardiola believes players should only be called up when fully fit, but won't stand in the way if a player wants to represent their country.
City has suffered three consecutive defeats for the first time in six and a half years, a rare occurrence under Guardiola. The team is dealing with injuries and fatigue, which has affected their performance. A win against Brighton is crucial to stop the losing streak before the international break.
Grealish has been injured and hasn't played since the Wolves game. Guardiola stated he hasn't fully trained and isn't fit to play against Brighton, while Carsley claimed Grealish was back in training. This discrepancy has led to tension between the club and country.
Guardiola's past contract extensions have been signed during the November international break, suggesting this could be the time for a decision. However, he has not shown any clear signs of his intentions, and the timing of an announcement remains uncertain.
City is dealing with a significant number of injuries, with key players like Nathan Aké, Diaz, and Stones out. This has forced other players, including academy graduates, to step up and play more than they normally would, leading to fatigue and subpar performances.
Guardiola is concerned about players returning from international duty with injuries, especially given City's current injury crisis. He prefers players to be fully fit before representing their countries, but acknowledges it's not his decision to make.
Guardiola believes his players are still committed and motivated, despite the recent losses. He sees this period as an opportunity to learn more about their character and resilience, especially with half the squad either injured or not fully fit.
The break could provide some injured players with time to recover, but there's also a risk of players returning with new injuries. Guardiola is particularly concerned about overplayed players like Rico Lewis and Kyle Walker, who need rest.
Joe Bray and Alex James discuss Manchester City’s three defeats on the spin and ask where Pep Guardiola goes from here to turn the form around? Joe reveals how Guardiola’s moody press conference will affect the City camp ahead of the trip to Brighton, and we discuss the manager’s not-so-subtle criticism of England boss Lee Carsley over his decision to include Jack Grealish in his latest squad.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices)