Overview
- Manchester City said Pep Guardiola was absent for personal reasons, with assistant Kolo Toure taking Friday’s press conference in his place.
- Guardiola is reported to be set to return to the touchline at Selhurst Park on Sunday against Crystal Palace.
- Toure moved from the U18s to the first-team group in July 2025 to bridge academy and senior squads, a role academy director Thomas Krucken called important.
- He described mentoring players through video and individual drills, working closely with Pep Lijnders, and advising Erling Haaland on what defenders dislike.
- Toure lauded Haaland alongside Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer and highlighted Nico O’Reilly’s emergence at left-back as City’s strong form continued with a midweek win at the Bernabeu.