The winger has a hamstring problem and is likely to miss both matches against Arsenal (Picture: Getty)
Manchester City have been dealt a fresh injury blow just a few hours ahead of their Carabao Cup final showdown with Arsenal at Wembley on Sunday afternoon.
The runaway Premier League leaders will have to take on the Gunners without in-form winger Raheem Sterling, who has failed to recover from a hamstring injury picked up against Basel.
Sterling has been enjoying the most prolific season of his career, though The Times report that he will miss Sunday’s match as well as Thursday’s repeat fixture in the Premier League.
Sterling picked up the problem against Basel and is now fighting to be fit to face Chelsea (Getty)
Sterling sustained the problem 10 days ago and has not trained all week, and is now targeting a return against Chelsea next Sunday instead.
City and Arsenal face off a second time in just five days on Thursday in the league, though Pep Guardiola did receive some good news after Gabriel Jesus returned to fitness.
The Brazilian has been absent since sustaining knee ligament damage at the very end of December, but has been back in full training all week.
Jesus is expected to make the bench at Wembley and is in contention to start Thursday’s match, with top scorer Sergio Aguero leading the line in the Carabao Cup final.
Guardiola does, however, have striker Gabriel Jesus fit and available once again (Picture: Getty)
Guardiola is believed to have made a very late call on whether to include Sterling in his matchday squad and had been desperate to have him available for the contest.
The England international already has 20 goals this season in all competitions, though he has travelled to London with the rest of the squad to watch his teammates in action.
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Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey have been passed fit (Picture: Getty)
Arsenal duo Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey have been passed fit to start for the Gunners in their Carabao Cup final clash with Manchester City at Wembley.
The German missed three training sessions this week with illness and Arsene Wenger said he had to ‘prove’ his fitness to start against Pep Guardiola’s men.
Wenger can become just the seventh manager in English football history to complete a full set of domestic trophies with a victory against City today and Arsenal have a fantastic record at the new Wembley.
Ozil lines up in what appears to be a 3-4-3 with Calum Chambers, Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi in a back three.
Raheem Sterling missed City’s 1-0 FA Cup defeat to Wigan on Monday with a hamstring injury and the England international has failed to shake off the knock.
Guardiola’s opted for a three-man midfield of Kevin De Bruyne, IIkay Gundogan and Fernandinho with David Silva possible further forward.
How we line-up at Wembley! 🙌 City XI | Bravo, Walker, Kompany (c), Otamendi, Danilo, Fernandinho, Silva, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Sane, Aguero Subs | Ederson, Stones, Laporte, Bernardo, Zinchenko, Foden, Jesus Presented by @haysworldwide #mancity pic.twitter.com/LRa9Yu9ePf — Manchester City (@ManCity) February 25, 2018
Gabriel Jesus takes a place back on City’s bench after a two-month spell out with a knee injury.
Guardiola’s opted for Danilo at left-back with Fabian Delph missing out through suspension after his red card against Wigan on Monday.
Claudio Bravo, City’s designated goalkeeper in the League Cup, keeps his place ahead of Ederson.
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Pep Guardiola wants his Manchester City players to go into the Carabao Cup final knowing they are a success.
The Blues are looking for their first trophy of the season on Sunday, and go into the game on the back of a shock FA Cup exit to Wigan on Monday.
Having dropped out of the running for silverware last season, Wembley will be new ground for the young team that Guardiola has brought together even if individuals have played there before.
Before the first whistle, the City manager wants his players to make sure they enjoy the game rather than worry about it.
"In the first finals you are more nervous than the next one," he said.
"What I try to say to the players is try to play more like a friendly game to be more calm.
"But also there has to be more courage. It’s more chance, there is a chance, go and that’s all.
"Tomorrow we are going to try again. I think it’s a game we have to try to enjoy the most, it’s a final.
"We are here to play these types of game - why be nervous, why worry about win win win?
"It’s just a game. No regrets after the game. It’s too late for ‘I didn’t do what I should do’ because it’s a final.
"It’s good for our fans and the fans of Arsenal to be there and it’s a success already to be there.
"Now to try to win."
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Aymeric Laporte is determined to put a 'very bad night' behind him and win his first Manchester City silverware.
The Blues were handed an FA Cup shock by League One Wigan last week as they were knocked out of the FA Cup.
And Laporte – a £57.1million January arrival from Athletic Bilbao – admits it came as a shock to the system that City must bounce back from against Arsenal at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final .
“The truth is, we had a very bad night and they played for their lives,” Laporte said.
“Right now, the most important thing is what is ahead of us – a cup final. Winning it would be a great step forward for us.
"It would be great to get a trophy under our belts and then focus again on the league and try to maintain the distance between us and second place and win that at some stage. Winning a trophy would definitely help the development of the team.”
Laporte intends to play his part as a ball-playing, passing centre-back.
“I like to think of myself as a modern defender rather than an old-school one,” he added. “I’m trying to evolve with how football is going but the truth is I like the style of playing the ball out from the back and hitting long passes.
“And, yes, I hope to go to the World Cup. I know I have a chance but I must focus on what remains of the season and carrying on playing well, in both the Premier League and the Champions League.”
Laporte's big-money move to City saved first club SU Agen from administration.
The minnows from the rugby union stronghold in south-west France have received a £573,000 windfall following the time he spent there as a youth.
Under Fifa rules mean Agen were due one per cent of the fee paid to Athletic and Laporte, son of a rugby playing father, said: “There has been talk about naming a plot of land after me.
“I was born there, I grew up there, I did everything there so I’m really happy to have been able to help my old club, especially with them having financial difficulties.”
