Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said the injury that Ederson suffered on Sunday at Liverpool didn’t look good, and he was indeed right. Ederson joins Liverpool’s Alisson as goalkeepers who will miss out on Brazilian national team duty next month due to injury.
According to reports, the shot-stopper has been diagnosed with a rectus femoris muscular injury in his right leg.
Multiple outlets indicate that Ederson is expected to be on the sidelines for about three or four weeks. He is obviously ruled out of the FA Cup clash against Newcastle United on Sunday, and this timeline also makes him a serious doubt for the massive match against Arsenal on March 31.
The Gunners currently sit top of the table, with 64 points, with Liverpool sitting second, level on points but behind on goal differential. Man City are third, with 63 points.
In other words, this will be a top of the table clash, with a ton of league title ramifications on the line.
Ederson is an integral part of the team’s defensive structure and possession-based style of play. His ability to initiate attacking moves from the back, due to his elite proficiency with his feet, is critical to Pep’s ambitions to maintain control of the game and build attacks from deep positions.
His composure, and his ability to act as an 11th outfield player makes him capable to bypass opposition presses with effectiveness.
In other words, Ederson is a fundamental component of their attacking philosophy and they need him back in the lineup as soon as possible; especially so for that clash versus Arsenal.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Twitter.