Tests await for Manchester City’s Dutch defender to determine the severity of his injury | OneFootball

Nathan Ake was substituted at halftime of Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Plymouth Argyle at the Etihad on Saturday. The Dutch centre-back was replaced by Ruben Dias for the second half of the fifth-round FA Cup tie. Seeing Ake injured again was a cruel blow for the Dutch international. You do wonder what the future holds for Ake if the injury he sustained is a serious one. He has battled injury concerns all season long and is now injured once again.

During the game, it was unclear what injury Manchester City’s Mr Reliable had suffered. But speaking after his team’s win Pep Guardiola explained that Ake has been struggling with a foot injury or issue. Guardiola added that Ake is set for tests on the injury. When asked about Ake’s condition Guardiola said: “No, so tomorrow we’ll do the test, but yeah, he struggles sometimes with the feet, with the bone. And apparently, you know… Yeah, it’s all season it’s been like that. Unfortunately, the central defenders, they cannot be (consistently injury-free). Hopefully, the young ones – they don’t have a lot of scars in their lives – can sustain and help us until the end.”

Manchester City will be hoping that Nathan Ake’s injury isn’t a serious one. But based on how his season has gone to date he may benefit from being able to rest for some time. With Ake injured Manchester City’s centre-back stocks are depleted. Currently, John Stones and Manuel Akanji are sidelined with serious injuries. This has given Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis the opportunities to impress. The two young centre-backs have already shown they are capable of playing for Manchester City.

The hope is that the tests Ake has don’t reveal a serious injury. But if they do Manchester City do have cover at centre-back. They just wouldn’t want another centre-back to go down based on the injuries suffered by John Stones and Manuel Akanji.