Liverpool's Senegalese midfielder Sadio Mane (R) challenges Manchester City's Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson (L), a challenge for which he is sent off, during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on September 9, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Oli SCARFFÂ
Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson could make a remarkable comeback in Wednesday’s Champions League match at Feyenoord just days after a nasty collision left him needing stitches in his face.
Ederson was caught by a high boot from Liverpool’s Sadio Mane on Saturday and received lengthy treatment before being carried off on a stretcher wearing an oxygen mask.
The summer signing suffered facial wounds that required eight stitches but there was no concussion and no fractures.
He has since returned to training, wearing rugby-style protective headgear, and is in contention to face the Dutch champions after travelling to Rotterdam with the squad.
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Manager Pep Guardiola will make a late decision but revealed on the eve of the Group F match that Ederson was training well.
Asked if the incident could make the goalkeeper hesitant in future, Guardiola said: “I could understand that feeling if he felt that, but in today’s training session there were two or three long balls and he was there. Of course that can happen but we will see.”
Teammate John Stones has also been impressed with how Ederson, 24, has dealt with the situation.
Stones, speaking alongside Guardiola at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday, said: “Ederson has got on with it straight away.
“After the game in the changing room he was talking as if nothing had happened. That shows his character.
“He wants to be around the team, in that environment. Everyone has seen his face, the stitches, the swelling — but he’s put a scrum cap on and he’s been training today.”
Two players who will definitely not feature are Yaya Toure and the injured Vincent Kompany.
Toure was left out of the squad by Guardiola and the manager raised fresh doubts over the veteran midfielder’s future by refusing to make public why.
Source: G Sport
