Pep Guardiola earmarks return date for Savinho after half-time debut withdrawal due to knee injury

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has provided a major update on the fitness of summer signing Savinho following a suspected knee injury.

The 20-year-old made his Premier League debut at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon, after completing a £21 million move to Manchester City from sister-club ES Troyes last month, following an impressive campaign in La Liga with Girona.

Savinho, who also scored a penalty during last weekend’s FA Community Shield win at Wembley Stadium over Manchester United, started Manchester City’s 0-2 victory over Chelsea in west London on the opening weekend of the new season.

Manchester City started their latest Premier League title defence with three points, courtesy of goals from Erling Haaland and Mateo Kovacic, as Pep Guardiola’s side bid to win a fifth successive league title.

Haaland broke the deadlock after 18 minutes, before Kovacic secured the win with a sublime effort against his former club in the 84th minute.

Manchester City were without both Rodri and Oscar Bobb for the visit to the capital due to injury, and are facing a third injury problem following Sunday’s win, after Savinho was forced off at half-time due to a knee injury.

The 20-year-old underwent treatment on the pitch during the first-half, and was replaced by Phil Foden ahead of the start of the second-half at Stamford Bridge.

Discussing the extent of the injury post-match, Guardiola said: “Some disturbance in the knee. He said he knows perfectly why, he’s had it in the past. Apparently it’s not a big, big problem. He will be ready for, hopefully, next Saturday.”

Manchester City host newly-promoted Ipswich Town in their opening home Premier League match of the new campaign next Saturday afternoon.

The Suffolk-based club have acquired the signatures of both Kalvin Phillips and Liam Delap from the Etihad Stadium this summer, but suffered defeat to Liverpool at Portman Road on Saturday.