No Clasicos stand to be missed if Leo Messi can recover within the expected time frame, but Barcelona will be without the inimitable attacker for two Champions League match days, if the current timetable of 6-8 weeks recovery is accurate.
While missing nearly two months of any campaign is hardly ideal, Messi’s latest injury in a season increasingly troubled by them is not actually at a fiercely terrible time.
Here is what the sensational Argentine attacker stands to miss while he recovers from an injury diagnosed Monday as a femoral biceps tear of the left leg (Barca’s full schedule is here):
At least four league matches: Granada, at Athletic Bilbao, Villarreal and at Getafe. All of those clubs are top half in the current La Liga table. So, here is your time to step up, Neymar.
Both legs of a Copa del Rey round-of-16 series against Cartagena.
The final two Champions League group stage match days. Barca is in great shape after four match days, sitting on 10 points, double second-place Milan. One point will do over the remaining pair of contests to qualify for next year’s elimination stage, and Barca looks almost certain to go through in the top spot.
The club has a two-week break after La Liga Round 17 (Dec. 22, as Barcelona plays at Getafe). Messi seems certain sit out until January; especially as his club has those two weeks off.
Barca does have a Real Madrid clash set for Jan. 12, so that’s the next big spot on the club’s first-team calendar.
Past that, however, Champions League knockout phase begins Feb. 18, so there’s plenty of time for Messi to get fit and sharp for the club’s latest European bid.
Nottingham Forest vs Wolves, live! Score, updates, how to watch, videos
Nottingham Forest will try to end their winless skid at six games when they host fellow Premier League relegation battlers Wolves at the City Ground on Saturday (watch live, 10 am ET on Peacock Premium).
Before those six games of anguish (and injuries) began, Nottingham Forest (now, 26 points – 16th place) sat 13th in the table, on 24 points, after going five games unbeaten, including three wins. Wolves (27 points – 13th place), meanwhile, have struggled to score enough goals to string together winning runs once again this season.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Nottingham Forest vs Wolves.
No side in the Premier League has scored fewer goals than Forest (or Wolves – 22 each), and only Bournemouth (54) have conceded more than Steve Cooper’s newly promoted side (49). All of which is to say, the Reds are in the thick of the relegation scrap based on merit. Injuries have certainly played their part, though, with as many as 14 players either confirmed out for the weekend, or an injury doubt. 21-year-old Brennan Johnson (7 goals, 2 assists) has been something of a revelation in his first PL season and Taiwo Awoniyi has four goals of his own, but no one else has more than two on the season (Morgan Gibbs-White and Emmanuel Dennis).
Once again this season, Wolves have gone for the “defensively solid, but offensively deficient” approach, only this time their defensive record is nearly as poor as the goal-scoring output. Like Forest, only two players (Daniel Podence and Ruben Neves) have scored more than two goals (Adama Traore) en route to 22 goals scored in 28 games.
Nottingham Forest team news, injuries, lineup options
OUT: Taiwo Awoniyi (groin), Scott McKenna (thigh), Willy Boly (thigh), Dean Henderson (thigh), Giulian Biancone (knee), Omar Richards (calf) | QUESTIONABLE: Brennan Johnson (groin), Chris Wood (thigh), Cheickou Kouyate (thigh), Andre Ayew (knee), Serge Aurier (knock), Wayne Hennessey (knee), Ryan Yates (shoulder)
✋ Five changes from #NFONEW. 🇧🇷 Danilo back in the XI. 🇳🇬 Taiwo back in the squad.
Brighton and Brentford stage a big if surprising fight for a European place during a Saturday affair at the Amex Stadium. (watch live, 10am ET online via Peacock Premium).
The Seagulls and the visiting Bees both enter the match with 42 points, five points off the Premier League’s fifth-place spot and seven away from fourth.
The Gunners enter Saturday with an 8-point title lead over Manchester City, who holds a match-in-hand and plays the 7:30am ET kickoff earlier Saturday vs Liverpool.
How to watch Arsenal vs Leeds live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 10am ET, Saturday TV Channel: USA Network Online:Stream via NBCSports.com
Key storylines & star players
For Arsenal, it’s going to continue to be a feast of talent in attacking positions as Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard are in the Premier League Player of the Year conversation and Gabriel Martinelli isn’t too far off. Perhaps Gabriel Jesus would be there, too, if he didn’t miss such a long stretch of time with injury but he’s fit and firing and Leeds has reason to worry about its back line. Leeds would love to see Maximillian Wober and Tyler Adams available but they are not and it will be incumbent about the attackers to make up for their absences. Weston McKennie and Marc Roca will be under the microscope today.
Arsenal team news, injuries, lineup options
OUT: William Saliba (lower back), Mohamed Elneny (knee), Eddie Nketiah (ankle), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee)
🔴 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 ⚪️
🧱 Holding at the back 🤩 Trossard on the wing ⚡ Gabby leads the line
The Etihad was stunned after Mohamed Salah scored a fine goal to put a vibrant Liverpool side ahead but Julian Alvarez, starting in place of the injured Erling Haaland, equalized in the first half.
Quick-fire second half goals from Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan did the damage and Jack Grealish scored a fourth to send the home fans (who did the Poznan) wild as Pep Guardiola was delighted with the way his team surged away from Jurgen Klopp’s dejected Liverpool.
In the end this was a routine win for City as they’re now on 64 points, five points behind Arsenal who play later on Saturday against Leeds. Liverpool remain on 42 points and have lost ground in the top four race after back-to-back away defeats in the Premier League.
With their star striker out with a groin injury, City turned to Alvarez to fill the significant void. Turns out having a World Cup winning striker as a back-up option is pretty decent. La Arana scored the first, consistently made good runs and Liverpool just couldn’t cope with the movement of Alvarez, Mahrez, Grealish, Gundogan and De Bruyne (all of whom had at least a goal or an assist) in attack. It was a different feel to City’s attack and reminded you that even if goal-machine Haaland is out, they have a Plan B and it works pretty well. That plan won them the title last season and this display gives ammunition to those who say Haaland makes City a little too predictable to play against. They were anything but that against Liverpool as Guardiola was delighted with the movement, pressure and intensity of his forward quartet. Haaland was seen celebrating Alvarez’s goal jubilantly in the stands alongside his father, former City midfielder Alf-Inge, and this display showed there’s no need to rush Erling back and they can get him fully-fit for the Champions League quarterfinal showdown against Bayern Munich on April 11.
Stars of the show; Manchester City vs Liverpool player ratings
Mohamed Salah: Took his goal superbly and was always a threat. Had very little help around him.
Riyad Mahrez: Didn’t score but was superb in setting the tone. Almost unstoppable when he’s in this form.
Kevin de Bruyne: Got a goal and yet another assist as he drove City on.
Jack Grealish: Probably his best display in a City shirt. Set up one, scored another and could have had more.
Graphic via FotMob.com
What’s next?
Man City head to Southampton on Saturday, April 8. Liverpool head to Chelsea on Tuesday, April 4 before hosting Arsenal on April 9.
How to watch Manchester City vs Liverpool live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 7:30am ET, Saturday TV Channel: Peacock Online: Stream via Peacock Premium
Manchester City vs Liverpool live analysis! – By Joe Prince-Wright at the Etihad Stadium
FULL TIME: Manchester City 4-1 Liverpool – Well, that was rather straightforward in the end, wasn’t it? City were sensational in the second half and Liverpool just couldn’t recover from that early goal after half time.
Alisson saves from Jack Grealish, as his volley is straight at the Liverpool goalkeeper. City are just messing around now. Liverpool in full damage limitation mode with their trip to Chelsea coming up in midweek.
The Manchester City fans at the Etihad are now doing the Poznan. Quite the party atmosphere here. #MCFC 4-1 #LFC#MCILIV
GOALLL! Manchester City 4-1 Liverpool. Jack Grealish slots home after a lovely pass from Kevin de Bruyne. Erling Haaland may struggle to get back into this Man City team…
Jack Grealish adds his name to the scoresheet and Manchester City are in full control!
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) April 1, 2023
Liverpool having a bit of go here to see if they can make it interesting but City are keeping the ball extremely well.
SAVE! Jack Grealish looks to bend one into the far corner but Alisson tips it away. Great effort from Grealish, who has been really good today.
CLOSE! Gakpo’s shot deflects just wide. Liverpool aren’t giving up here.
GOALLL! Manchester City 3-1 Liverpool. That should be that. Julian Alvarez with so much time in the box. His shot is blocked and the rebound falls straight to Ilkay Gundogan who slots home.
Liverpool still have a threat as Gakpo just can’t beat the offside trap after a nice ball over the top. City ominously cranking through the gears.
GOALLL! Seconds after the second half starts Kevin de Bruyne puts Manchester City 2-1 up. Poor defensive mistakes from Liverpool and Mahrez crosses for KDB to poke home. Liverpool and Klopp can’t believe it.
HALF TIME: Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool – A hugely entertaining first half. Liverpool a real threat on the counter, while Man City have been a little clunky but are still carving out plenty of chances sans Haaland. Intriguing second half coming up.
Erling Haaland and Pep Guardiola were FIRED UP by this beautiful build-up play by Manchester City! 🤩
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) April 1, 2023
Moments after being shown a yellow card, Rodri takes down Cody Gakpo cynically as he goes to start a counter. That should be another yellow card. Liverpool players and Jurgen Klopp incensed. And rightly so. Getting spicy out there as TAA catches Grealish unintentionally. Grealish is then taken out by Trent moments later.
GOALLLL! Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool. Julian Alvarez taps home. Great play from Mahrez and Gundogan to set up Grealish and he finds Alvarez to finish. The TV screens here at the Etihad show Erling Haaland going crazy up in the stands as he celebrates. Minutes later Mahrez almost finds Alvarez but his pass is just too heavy. It is all City now.
A bad giveaway from John Stones and Salah and Liverpool are away again, but Jack Grealish works so hard to get back and stops Salah in City’s penalty box. Great defending from Grealish.
OVER! A flurry of chances arrive for City as they can’t convert a cross and then Mahrez smashes over from inside the box. Great opportunity wasted.
GOALLLL! The goal stands. Mohamed Salah puts Liverpool 1-0 up at Manchester City. A wonderful ball over the top to Jota, who just stayed onside, and Salah finishes superbly. What a goal! I was right in the line with that in the press box here at the Etihad and thought that was offside. Akanji just kept Jota onside.
Mohamed Salah puts Liverpool ahead but it looked like Diogo Jota was offside when the initial ball came over the top. VAR check for offside now…
Now a counter attack as Salah and Elliott both have shots blocked. Lively start, this.
CLOSE! Riyad Mahrez whips a free kick inches wide of the far post. Most of the stadium through that was in. Great effort.
CHANCE! A few decent efforts from City now. Gundogan almost finishes at the back post, then Alisson saves a shot from the edge of the box. Liverpool opened up a few times with long balls over the top.
City look a little rattled early on. Liverpool pressing them high and it is working.
KICK OFF! We are underway here in Manchester. Salah has started up top with Gakpo underneath him. Very attacking lineup from Liverpool and they are pressing very high up the pitch. Extremely similar tactics to when they played against City in their 1-0 win at Anfield earlier this season.
🚨 Hello and welcome to the Etihad!
Live analysis + stream link, videos & more on a huge game for both teams for their title & top 4 hopes ➡️ https://t.co/TsjblqTa7L
The atmosphere is bubbling up very nicely here. The warmups are done and the star attackers from both City and Liverpool were spanking in shots galore. The music is pumping over the PA system here. It is go time. This rivalry has delivered so much drama over the years, let’s see if there are even more twists and turns. I’m sure there will be…
Big, big, big (did I mention big!?) team news is that Erling Haaland is OUT for Manchester City. He has not recovered from his groin injury and Julian Alvarez starts up top. It will be intriguing to see how City cope without their main man who was absolutely on fire before the international break. The rest of the team news is as expected. Jota, Salah and Gakpo up top for Liverpool with Darwin Nunez fit enough for the bench.
Hello and welcome to Manchester for this huge game! It has been a glorious sunny morning here, but the clouds are bubbling up just as the action is about to on the pitch at the Etihad. Buckle up. Sparks always fly when these two meet.
Key storylines & in-form players to watch
The loss of Haaland is obviously a huge concern for City as he suffered a groin issue and did not play for Norway over the international break and returned to Manchester for treatment. Julian Alvarez comes in, which is a pretty good back-up option. Elsewhere, City are flying with Jack Grealish, Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gunodgan having a big role to play with Phil Foden out following his appendix issue. As always, Kevin de Bruyne is the main man and will relish this chance to cut Arsenal’s lead atop the table.
Liverpool just can’t find consistency right now. They have improved defensively but they are a real Jekyll and Hyde team. Jurgen Klopp isn’t a fan of that and showed his frustration after their defeat at Bournemouth, which was their last Premier League game and was way back on March 11. He’s had a few weeks to stew over that loss and it will be intriguing to see what plan he has come up with. For this game as earlier this season Liverpool beat Man City 1-0 at Anfield by playing a front four which pinned City in.
Manchester City team news, injuries, lineup
OUT: Phil Foden (appendix removed), Erling Haaland (groin)
Your City XI 📋
XI | Ederson, Stones, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Rodrigo, Gundogan (C), De Bruyne, Mahrez, Grealish, Alvarez
