Ilkay Gundogan’s Injury Lays Bare the Problems in Manchester City’s Midfield

It might not have been pretty, but the 2-0 win over Watford on Wednesday night was exactly what Manchester City needed. The questions about the manner in which the team is playing at the moment will remain, but there were some answers given to issues over the defence. 

The victory came at a cost, though. Ilkay Gundogan, a player whom manager Pep Guardiola will have been planning to use extensively over the Christmas period and in the absence of the suspended Fernandinho, limped out of the action just before half-time.

He was in tears leaving the field and looked distraught—Guardiola later confirmed it wasn’t good news: “The doctor supposes [it is ligament damage].  It doesn’t look good.”

Given the serious nature of the injury, it seems odd that the German continued. After the collision with Nordin Amrabat, Gundogan went down clutching his knee. Clearly in distress, he didn’t move for some time—often a key sign that something is seriously wrong. When someone is badly hurt, the last thing they want to do is move the body part that’s causing them pain.

He got up gingerly with the help of the physios and tried to run it off, playing on for another seven minutes after the challenge.

When he went down with nobody around him and signalled to the bench, the home fans braced themselves for the worst. The anguish on his face, reflected on the big screens, and the sympathetic pat on the head from his manager as he went down the tunnel told the rest of the story; it was serious.

“It’s the worst news.” A devastated Pep Guardiola on lkay Gundogan’s suspected knee ligament damage injury. #SSNHQ https://t.co/8r8tuiJFv3

— Sky Sports News HQ (@SkySportsNewsHQ) December 14, 2016

“We spoke with him and he said, ‘I want to try, I want to try’,” Guardiola said afterwards, explaining why he didn’t make the substitution far sooner than he did. “When he [put his] hands up and said, ‘I cannot follow him’, we expect it’s not good.”

City fans will be worrying about the Germany international’s injury record, too. Pablo Zabaleta confirmed after the game that the suspected ligament damage was to the same knee Gundogan had dislocated in May, forcing him to undergo surgery and miss Euro 2016.

“It looks bad. It’s the same knee,” Zabaleta said, per the Manchester Evening News. “We feel so sorry for him because it’s been quite tough for him at the beginning of the season. He has been working so hard and he was playing well.”

Good morning everyone. Gutted for @IlkayGuendogan I wish you a speedy recovery and I’m sure you will come back stronger