By 90min | Created at 2024-12-11 21:11:13 | Updated at 2024-12-11 23:32:41
2 hours ago
Manchester City manager Gareth Taylor has given fitness updates potential return dates for Vivianne Miedema and Chloe Kelly.
The Manchester club are in UEFA Women's Champions League (UWCL) action this week as they host St. Polten at the Joie Stadium on Thursday evening. It will be the first of their three remaining games in all competitions before the upcoming winter break.
Their other fixtures include an away day at Everton in the Women's Super League (WSL) as well as a trip to Barcelona in their final Champions League group game next week. However, Taylor has confirmed they will still be without some of their biggest names.
Miedema hasn't featured since their 2-0 win against Barcelona at the beginning of October and it was later confirmed she underwent surgery on her left knee. The Dutch forward returned from a long ACL injury lay-off last season prior to her move to City, but fortunately the current problem is far less severe and Taylor expects her back in the New Year.
"Viv is back out on the [training] pitch, which is great," the manager told his pre-match press conference on Thursday. "The reality of it is we won't see her in these next three games before we break, but we're looking forward to getting her back in early January for when we restart.
"That's a big boost for everyone. She's a top player and any team would miss having a player like that."
Kelly has also been absent since the international break when she suffered a concussion injury in England's 0-0 draw against the United States. She missed the weekend visit of Leicester City, but Taylor admitted it is still touch and go whether she will be ready for St. Polten.
Chloe Kelly has been out of action since the international break / Naomi Baker/GettyImages
"Chloe Kelly is close," he continued. "It's probably touch and go for tomorrow's game just with the [concussion] protocol. There were a few existing symptoms she was suffering with. With those types of injuries it's so dangerous so we need to make sure she's in the right place, feeling good coming back into it and has crossed off all the checks.
"At the moment we're a bit short on the checks. If not tomorrow, it'll be Sunday [when Chloe returns]."
Taylor has also had to carefully manage the fitness of Jill Roord after she returned from an ACL injury earlier in the season. He confirmed the midfielder is available for their European clash midweek, but restrictions on her minutes won't be lifted until January.
He concluded: "We're managing Jill [Roord], once we get to January the medical staff have told me there will be no restrictions, which is great. What she’s done up to now has been really admirable in terms of how she's returned.
"Her performance at the weekend was top as well, we're pushing her in the right sense. She's feeling good, she wants to play more but we have to be mindful of three games in six days, four games in 10 days is tight for us at the moment.
"She'll be available to play [against St Polten] but we have to factor in a quick turnaround to Sunday against Everton and before you know it, Wednesday in Barcelona."
Lauren Hemp was not mentioned, but Taylor previously provided an update on the 24-year-old winger ahead of their WSL clash with the Foxes last week. He confirmed she won't be available for this run of games, but could return to action when matches resume in January.
