Pep Guardiola will miss Manchester City’s next two matches after a "routine operation” on his back on Tuesday, the Premier League champions announced. City said their treble-winning manager had been suffering from "severe back pain for some time” and flew out to Barcelona for "emergency” yet "routine” surgery. The Spanish boss will remain in Barcelona while he recovers from the operation and is expected to miss City’s matches against Sheffield United this Sunday and Fulham on September 2, with assistant manager Juanma Lillo taking temporary charge in his absence. City expect Guardiola, 52, to be back on the touchline after the international break for their visit to West Ham on Sept 16.Liverpool’s Mac Allister has red card overturnedLiverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister had his red card against Bournemouth overturned after the Reds appealed against the controversial dismissal. Mac Allister was dismissed by referee Thomas Bramall after catching Bournemouth midfielder Ryan Christie on the foot in the 58th minute of Liverpool’s 3-1 win in the Premier League on Saturday.Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was furious with the decision and claimed Mac Allister’s absence for much of the second half should be the only punishment the Argentine World Cup winner face. Mac Allister would have been suspended for three games if the ban had been upheld, but now he is free to return to the team. Allister is eligible for selection when the Reds travel to Newcastle United on Sunday.Mount ruled out of Man United’s next two gamesMason Mount will miss Manchester United’s Premier League games against Nottingham Forest and Arsenal after suffering a "small” injury, the club said. United revealed that Mount had sustained the "small complaint” during Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Tottenham. The England midfielder is expected to be "out until the international break next month”, United said.Mount moved to Old Trafford from Chelsea in the close-season for £60mn, After winning the Champions League in 2021, Mount struggling to find his peak form towards the end of his Chelsea career. He also delivered below-par performances in both of United’s Premier League games this season, raising concerns about how he would fit into boss Erik ten Hag’s plans.Mount is not the only United close-season signing to be hit with injury issues already this term. Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund, signed from Serie A Atalanta, has not featured for United due to a back injury. Ten Hag’s men host Forest at Old Trafford on Saturday before travelling to Arsenal the following weekend in their final fixture before the international break.Chelsea’s Chukwuemeka undergoes knee surgeryChelsea teenager Carney Chukwuemeka has undergone surgery on the knee injury he sustained playing against West Ham last weekend, the Blues announced. No timeline has been put on the absence of Chukwuemeka, who scored his first goal for Chelsea in their 3-1 loss away to London rivals West Ham in the Premier League, but he could be out of action for up to six weeks.The former Aston Villa midfielder found first-team game time hard to come by last season following his £20mn move. Chukwuemeka has, however, started both of new Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino’s first two Premier League games in charge. He had surgery after being withdrawn 15 minutes from the end of Chelsea’s loss at the London Stadium, the first defeat of Pochettino’s reign as Blues boss.PSG lose Korea’s LeeKang-In to thigh injuryParis Saint-Germain attacker Lee Kang-In will miss this weekend’s Ligue 1 clash with Lens after the South Korea international was ruled out for at least four weeks, the club said. The 22-year-old is set to be sidelined until the end of the international break next month with a thigh injury, meaning he will also be unavailable for the trip to Lyon on September 3.Lee has started PSG’s first two games of the season - a goalless stalemate with Lorient and 1-1 draw at Toulouse – following his arrival from Mallorca. PSG finished one point clear of runners-up Lens last season, but both clubs are still searching for their first win of the new campaign. South Korea are due to play Wales in a friendly in Cardiff on September 7 and then face Saudi Arabia five days later at St James’ Park in Newcastle.
August 23, 2023 | 12:27 AM