Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany struggling with calf problem ahead of Liverpool clash

KEY POINTS

The 31-year-old missed training on Wednesday after returning from international duty.
City's medical staff do not see it as a major problem, however.

Manchester City face an injury concern ahead of the visit of Liverpool on Saturday (9 September) with the club's medical team concerned over a fresh problem for Vincent Kompany.

The City captain has been stricken with a series of calf problems over the last three seasons and was limited to just 11 appearances in the Premier League in Pep Guardiola's first season in England last term.

The worst of those injury woes could be over however with the Belgium international starting and completing each of City's opening three games of the new campaign.

Kompany played the full 90 minutes as Belgium thrashed Gibraltar 9-0 in their 2018 World Cup qualifier last Thursday but sat out of the 2-1 win over Greece on Sunday – a win which saw Belgium clinch their place in next summer's competition in Russia.

Belgium's Het Laatste Nieuws now reports the 31-year-old was absent from training with his club on Wednesday [6 September] as a result of a calf problem picked up while on international duty. While City's medical staff do not see it as a serious problem, they are wary of his injury history and will continue to assess the centre-half ahead of Saturday's [9 September] lunch-time kick-off at the Etihad Stadium.

Kompany remains a hugely important player for Guardiola following City's failure to bring in another centre-half during the summer transfer window. While the club spent £130m in strengthening their options at full-back, the club's interest in West Brom's Jonny Evans, Southampton captain Virgil van Dijk and Real Sociedad's Iñigo Martinez amounted to nothing, leaving City with the options of Kompany, John Stones, Nicolas Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala as their only senior centre-halves.

Doubts over Kompany will act as a major boost to Liverpool's chances of leaving the Etihad with something. While they have their own problems in attack, their front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino has already proved to be a deadly combination with Kompany's organisational skills in the City backline vital to keeping the trio quiet.

Guardiola has experimented with playing three at the back and a flat back four this season with Kompany, Stones and Otamendi all featuring as the first choice combination.