Pep Guardiola: Man City boss to take charge for Newcastle game after negative Covid-19 test | Football News

Pep Guardiola is free to take charge of Manchester City’s Premier League trip to Newcastle on Sunday after returning a negative PCR test.

Guardiola had to take a PCR test after a lateral flow test showed an inconclusive result upon his arrival at City’s training ground on Friday.

The former Barcelona head coach travelled to Catalonia this week to attend Sergio Aguero’s retirement news conference at the Nou Camp.

A 10-day isolation period would have ruled him out of the game at St James’ Park as well as the Boxing Day visit of Leicester City.

Manchester City have won seven successive Premier League games, hammering Leeds 7-0 in midweek, and Guardiola urged his side to maintain that momentum against Newcastle.

“Everyone is fit, it’s just Ferran [Torres] missing,” said Guardiola. “Joao [Cancelo] is back after [his suspension against] Leeds and we will travel to Newcastle with everyone ready to play.

“It is not easy to go to Newcastle and get a result so we will need the whole team and hopefully we will be strong enough to get the points.

“Newcastle is a very tough opponent. People will talk about our place in the table or their place in the table but when you go to Newcastle you know what sort of game to expect.

“Now they have a new manager in Eddie [Howe] and we know what a good manager he is.

“They have had a tough start to the season but they are a good team with good players and a top manager so we will go there and have to work hard for each other to win the game.”

De Bruyne discusses effects of long Covid

Kevin De Bruyne says he is still feeling the after-effects of Covid-19, even after scoring twice for Manchester City in their Premier League thrashing of Leeds.

De Bruyne says he is not yet back to his best after testing positive for coronavirus last month.

“I’m not great yet. My body still has to adapt. Sometimes after two or three sprints I feel that I have had Covid,” he told Belgium’s Het Laatste Nieuws on Thursday.

But he feels things are picking up after a season in which he has also struggled with a nagging ankle injury.

“It’s getting better.,” he added. “This season is what it is, of course. I can’t help it. I got punched in the face, my ankle kicked and I caught Covid. It’s not easy with the busy schedule but I’m feeling okay. I’m doing what I have to do.”

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