In recent developments, defender Nathan Ake was forced to leave the pitch due to a muscle injury while representing the Netherlands in their UEFA Nations League clash against Germany. The medical team of Manchester City is expected to evaluate the condition of the defender starting tomorrow.
The incident occurred just before half-time, with Ake appearing visibly upset. He was replaced by Jurrien Timber, after what seemed to be a hamstring issue. Team-mate Cody Gakpo urgently signalled for a stretcher once it became evident that Ake could not continue.
This injury adds to the growing list of Premier League players affected during the international break in September. Arsenal are already dealing with concerns over Riccardo Calafiori of Italy and Martin Odegaard of Norway.
Manchester City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, now faces an anxious wait as the club prepares for their upcoming Premier League match against Brentford on Saturday. They also face Arsenal on September 22, adding to the concern surrounding Ake’s fitness.
ALSO READ: Netherlands vs Germany Player Ratings: Exciting affair ends in draw
Netherlands Draw with Germany Despite Defensive Errors
In the match itself, the Netherlands initially took the lead through Tijani Reinders, only for Germany to respond with an equaliser from Deniz Undav. Joshua Kimmich then gave Germany the advantage before half-time, but Denzel Dumfries levelled the score once more for the Dutch team.
Matthijs de Ligt, another Premier League defender, made an error that led to Germany’s goal. De Ligt, who also made a mistake in a previous game, was substituted at half-time for Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton. Despite the errors, the Netherlands managed to secure a victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in their earlier fixture.
The injury to Ake adds pressure on Manchester City as they enter a busy schedule, with a Champions League match against Inter Milan coming up between their league fixtures, a rematch of last year’s final.