With maybe the most important remaining take a look at of their Premier League title problem on the horizon, Manchester Metropolis are dealing with a significant choice headache. Ederson is anticipated to overlook as much as 4 weeks with the muscle harm that compelled him off in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool; except the Brazilian goalkeeper recovers dramatically forward of that timescale he won’t be accessible when Arsenal come to the Etihad Stadium on March 31.
The 30 yr outdated harm himself whereas colliding into Darwin Nunez within the second half at Anfield, conceding the penalty from which Alexis Mac Allister scored an equaliser that left Metropolis third within the Premier League desk, some extent off Liverpool and leaders Arsenal. Ederson has already withdrawn from the Brazil squad for this month’s friendlies away to England and Spain. Gabriel Martinelli has too although the Arsenal ahead is ready to have recovered from a minimize nicely earlier than his aspect head to Manchester.
Ederson will even miss Saturday’s FA Cup quarterfinal in opposition to Newcastle United although his understudy Stefan Ortega would probably have performed that sport anyway. The German is firmly established as Pep Guardiola’s most well-liked possibility in home cup fixtures and has featured in simply six Premier League video games since becoming a member of from Arminia Bielefeld in the summertime of 2022. His final Premier League begin got here in January when he conceded twice in opposition to Newcastle.
Talking after his 25 minute cameo in opposition to Liverpool on Sunday, Ortega insisted he was relaxed with the strain of getting into a massively vital sport at such a pivotal stage. “In case you are on the bench, you all the time take into consideration what can occur in the event you go on the pitch,” he stated, including: “I do it each day in coaching and it was about doing the identical. I loved each second. It is nothing new what got here – I used to be prepared and ready.”
Ortega is actually greater than ample by the usual of Premier League backup goalkeepers, lauded by Guardiola for his composure and persistence after a uncommon prime flight begin in opposition to Brighton final yr. Whereas he’s actually adept with the ball at his ft, the 31 yr outdated doesn’t have the lengthy passing qualities of Metropolis’s primary, who can flip an opposition excessive press right into a capturing alternative for his aspect with a sweep of his left boot. Not having to face up in opposition to that may actually be welcome information for Arsenal after they journey north on the finish of this month.
