Manchester City Boss Enzo Maresca hopes Nico O’Reilly will be fit for the Manchester derby but is unsure if Jeremy Doku will be able to feature.
Those from Maresca open theirs Champions League campaign at Porto on Tuesday, before making the shorter trip to Old Trafford on Sunday for their first derby under the Italian’s management.
City made it three wins from three in the Premier League last Saturday with one 1-0 home win over newly promoted Coventry City.
O’Reilly did not participate in this match after suffering an injury during the warm-up. Winger Doku, meanwhile, has not played since the 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield with a calf problem.
Maresca optimistic about the City pair
Both players will miss the game at the Estadio do Dragao, but at least one of them should be available for the derby.
Asked about his availability for the clash with Michael Carrick’s men in a pre-match press conference, Maresca said: “Nico probably yes, Jeremy we’re not sure yet, we have to wait.
“Jeremy got injured in the Community Shield. That was three weeks ago.
“But he’s back, I don’t know if he’s available for the weekend, but he’s slowly, little by little coming back.”
Maresca had a very difficult performance to take over from Pep Guardiola.
This week will provide an indication of City’s progress under the former Chelsea boss since that disappointing Community Shield display as they face a challenging pair of away games in two different competitions.
But right-back Matheus Nunes has been impressed with Maresca’s impact so far.
“He’s brought so much energy, it feels like a new energy around,” Nunes said. “He’s got really good energy. He sets the standard.”
When asked to compare Maresca with Guardiola, Nunes said: “I spent three seasons with Pep and with Enzo only a couple of months.
“Maybe in a few months I can answer that question. They are both very passionate, so I see more comparisons than differences.”
