Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will miss Friday’s English FA Cup third-round match away to fourth-tier Swindon Town after testing positive for COVID-19, the Premier League club said on Thursday.
Manchester City said that Guardiola returned a positive test on Tuesday along with assistant Juanma Lillo.
“Both are now isolating, along with a number of other positive cases within the Manchester City first team bubble,” the club said in a statement, adding that assistant coach Rodolfo Borrell will take charge of the team for Friday’s game.
Seven first-team players and 14 backroom staff are isolating for COVID-19 related reasons, the club added.
Manchester City are top of the 2021/2022 English Premier League table on 53 points after 21 matches, 10 points above second-placed Chelsea.
They host Chelsea in a league match on Jan. 15 after facing Swindon.
Earlier on Thursday, Burnley had said manager Sean Dyche will miss their FA Cup third-round tie at home to second-tier Huddersfield Town on Saturday after testing positive for COVID-19.
The Clarets, who play the Championship Terriers in the third round at Turf Moor in an early kick-off, said on Twitter that Dyche was in isolation.
The Premier League club said: “Burnley Football Club can confirm manager Sean Dyche will miss this weekend’s FA Cup third-round tie at home to Huddersfield, after testing positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday.
“Sean will now follow the mandatory self-isolation protocols.”
Guardiola and Dyche are the latest Premier League managers to test positive in recent weeks.
These are Aston Villa’s Steven Gerrard, Newcastle United’s Eddie Howe, Crystal Palace’s Patrick Vieira, Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta and Liverpool’s Juergen Klopp.
Britain on Wednesday reported 194,747 further cases of COVID-19 and 334 more deaths within 28 days of a positive test, according to official data.(Reuters/dpa/NAN)
PHOTO: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola
