Pep Guardiola's feelings on Man City No.2 Stefan Ortega emerge in wake of Ederson's injury
Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson is expected to miss up to four weeks of action after suffering a muscle injury during their 1-1 draw with Liverpool on Sunday
Pep Guardiola rates Manchester City's No.2 goalkeeper, Stefan Ortega, so highly that he even considered dropping Ederson ahead of this season.
Ortega, 31, joined City on a free transfer in the summer of 2022 after spending five years with Arminia Bielefeld, who'd just been relegated from the Bundesliga. The German shot-stopper, still not capped by country at any level, had managed to pique Guardiola's interest and went on to show plenty of promise over his 14 appearances last term.
According to the Athletic, Guardiola was so impressed with Ortega's debut campaign that last spring, he considered dropping Ederson down the pecking order for the current season. The 31-year-old's composure and accuracy with the ball combined with his shot-stopping ability has delighted Guardiola, who'll need to navigate City's next set of fixtures without his long-standing No.1.
After first-choice goalkeeper Ederson suffered a muscle injury in giving away a penalty during last Sunday's gripping 1-1 draw with title rivals Liverpool, Ortega is now set to start in goal for the reigning Premier League and Champions League winners for up to four weeks - and potentially beyond.
READ MORE: Dominik Szoboszlai makes Liverpool quadruple prediction amid Arsenal and Man City challengeREAD MORE: Martin Odegaard sends warning to Man City after raising Champions League possibilityEderson won't be available for this Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final clash with Newcastle, nor will he play for Brazil during the upcoming international break. City then face another title rival in Arsenal on March 31 before a third successive home game against Aston Villa on April 3.
There's a chance that Ederson could return for City's trip to face Crystal Palace on April 6, but if Ortega impresses, it could persuade Guardiola to stick with him. Speaking last month, the City boss said of Ortega: "[He's pushing Ederson] a lot. A lot,"
"The way he's played in Carabao Cup and FA Cup so far. Even in the Champions League when he played against [Borussia] Dortmund. We were qualified but fighting for the first position. He’s an exceptional goalkeeper. Exceptional."
Your turn! Will Stefan Ortega become Manchester City's new No.1? Let us know your prediction in the comments section.
Then discussing why Ederson has maintained his No.1 status, Guardiola affirmed: "Another exceptional goalkeeper, I have no doubts. The reality is now we have another keeper pushing to him like never before. In terms of what they have done so far in the build-up with the group.
"He's a typical German goalkeeper, they stay up. Makes incredible handball movements. He's a really, really good 'keeper. But Ederson is a really important figure on and off the pitch and everything like that."
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.