Manchester City’s preparations for Sunday’s Premier League showdown with Liverpool have encountered a potential complication, with defender Nico O’Reilly missing Friday’s team training session as Enzo Maresca prepares for a fiercely anticipated encounter at Anfield.

Manchester City returned to training following the international break with an otherwise encouraging picture emerging from their preparations. O’Reilly, however, was conspicuous by his absence from the main group at the City Football Academy.

The England international was reportedly seen undertaking gym work, suggesting his recovery remains under assessment ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Liverpool.

O’Reilly suffered an injury during England’s 3-2 defeat to Spain last month, subsequently withdrawing from international duty and returning to Manchester for further examination.

His availability remains uncertain, leaving Maresca with a potentially awkward selection decision as City prepare to defend their unbeaten Premier League record.

For Liverpool, any disruption to City’s defensive preparations could provide an opportunity, particularly given the attacking difficulties currently confronting Andoni Iraola.

There was considerably better news for Manchester City regarding Erling Haaland, whose fitness had attracted attention following Norway’s UEFA Nations League defeat to Portugal.

The Norwegian striker was withdrawn as a precaution, although Maresca has now confirmed that his leading forward is available for Sunday’s encounter.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "Manchester City suffer injury blow ahead of Liverpool clash" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Champions League metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

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