Nathan Ake will miss Manchester City’s Premier League title showdown against Arsenal on Wednesday due to a hamstring injury he picked up last week against Bayern Munich. The Netherlands international has been in impressive form this season, but his absence will be a blow to Pep Guardiola’s side. Guardiola shifted to a 3-4-3 formation with no recognised left-back in his side for Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final win over Sheffield United.
City host Arsenal in perhaps the biggest game of the Premier League season this week with five points separating the two sides ahead of kick-off with Pep Guardiola’s side holding two games in hand. Ake also remains a doubt for the first leg of City’s Champions League semi-final clash with Real Madrid next week.
Guardiola will be without a recognised left-back against the Gunners, and described Arsenal as ‘unstoppable’ in the first-half of the campaign. He said: ‘I didn’t think we made a bad season, where we dropped a lot of games. The problem was that Arsenal were unstoppable, they made 50 points in one round [first half of the season]. But we didn’t drop much compared to the previous seasons. At the end we have been consistent, kept believing and now this is the situation. At home, where we are comfortable, with our people. I know everyone will be there. And we will feel them. Hopefully our football can help them feel it more and more and after our players will do their best.’