Manchester City is awaiting further information regarding Nathan Ake’s injury after the defender was stretchered off during the Netherlands' UEFA Nations League match against Germany. The 29-year-old seemed distressed while receiving medical attention at the Johan Cruyff Arena, reportedly suffering from a hamstring injury.
After the 2-2 draw, Dutch coach Ronald Koeman commented, "It appears to be a muscle injury for Nathan, although I cannot be certain.” This raises questions about how Ake's absence could impact Manchester City.
So far this season, Ake has only played a brief two minutes, coming on as a late substitute in Man City's 3-1 victory over West Ham United in Matchweek 3. The adaptable defender, capable of playing as both a centre-back and full-back, made 29 Premier League appearances last season, scoring twice. His time on the pitch this season has been limited as Pep Guardiola granted him an extended summer break following the Netherlands' semi-final run in UEFA EURO 2024.
Manchester City has not yet felt his absence significantly, winning all three matches and conceding just two goals. Rico Lewis has stepped up, and Josko Gvardiol has been impressive at left-back. Statistics suggest that the champions could manage in Ake's potential absence, as their win percentage increases from 70.80% to 76.70% when he is not starting, averaging 2.5 points per game without him compared to 2.3 points when he plays since his debut in September 2020.
Man City performance with and without Ake:
With Ake starting: 65 Games, 46 Wins, 9 Draws, 10 Losses, 57 Goals against, 0.9 Average goals against, 2.3 Points per 90, 7.4 Shots conceded per 90.
Without Ake starting: 90 Games, 69 Wins, 14 Draws, 7 Losses, 70 Goals against, 0.8 Average goals against, 2.5 Points per 90, 7.2 Shots conceded per 90.
Ake joins the list of Premier League players who have suffered injuries during the September international break. Arsenal, one of City’s title rivals, is currently concerned about captain Martin Odegaard and defender Riccardo Calafiori, who sustained injuries while playing for Norway and Italy, respectively.
Manchester City is scheduled to face Brentford on Saturday, followed by their UEFA Champions League opener against Internazionale Milano four days later. Ake's rankings at City since the 2022/23 season include 56 games played, ranking 10th, 53 tackles (6th), 12 blocks (5th), 35 interceptions (5th), 99 clearances (2nd), 176 duels won (8th), 215 recoveries (8th), 3,480 passes (5th), and 11 clean sheets (8th).
With an EFL Cup match against Watford upcoming, City's squad depth will be tested as they navigate seven matches across three competitions within 21 days. Guardiola is anticipated to provide an update on Ake's condition during a media briefing on Friday.