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Manchester City duo Kyle Walker and Gabriel Jesus have tested positive for the coronavirus, the club confirmed on Friday.
Two members of the club’s staff, whose identities have not been released, also tested positive.
Defender Walker and forward Jesus now appear poised to miss City’s Premier League matches against Newcastle, Everton and Chelsea, and they may return for the Carabao Cup semi-final against Manchester United on January 6.
“The four members of staff will now observe a period of self-isolation in accordance with the quarantine protocol of the Premier League and the UK government,” City said in a statement issued Friday morning.
Manchester City defender Kyle Walker looks set to miss three Premier League games
“Everyone at the club wishes our teammates a speedy recovery during the Christmas period before they return to work, training and competition.”
The positive tests, announced on Christmas Day, come as the UK faces a surge in coronavirus cases, and the 39,036 confirmed Thursday marks the second-highest daily total since the pandemic began.
The figure brought the total number of confirmed cases since the pandemic began to 2,188,587.
Premier League clubs under Level 4 coronavirus restrictions, the number of which will increase on December 26, have said they will start testing twice a week, compared to the previous single check, as soon as practically possible to do so.
Starting next month, the testing surge will be expanded to clubs in lower tier areas, which would currently include Manchester, with the city at Tier 3.
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Summary of the quarterfinals of the Carabao Cup between Arsenal and Man City
The duo’s absence is a huge blow to City during the busy holiday period. Pep Guardiola’s team host Newcastle on Boxing Day, before traveling to face Everton at Goodison Park just 48 hours later.
Then City have a six-day gap before their trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea, but will still be without the duo, who are forced to isolate themselves for 10 days from the date of their positive test.
Sunday January 3 4:15 pm
Start 4:30 pm
Walker and Jesus showed up, the latter scoring as City booked their place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals by beating Arsenal 4-1 on Wednesday, and are set to pass the quarantine in time to be available to face Manchester United in Old. Trafford.
Guardiola has been making it easier for Sergio Aguero to return to first-team action as the Argentine recovers from a knee injury, but City’s record scorer may now be forced into a heavier workload than planned.
Joao Cancelo will likely fill the right-back position in Walker’s absence, with Benjamin Mendy and Oleksandr Zinchenko likely to fill the left-back position that the Portugal defender has often filled in recent weeks.
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