Pep Guardiola provides fitness update on three Manchester City players ahead of Brighton clash

Pep Guardiola has provided an update on his squad's fitness ahead of Manchester City's league meeting with Brighton on Saturday.

City's unbeaten start to their league defence came to an end at the 10th time of asking as Mohamed Salah helped Liverpool pip the Premier League champions in a cagey 1-0 triumph at Anfield last week.

The Egyptian collected a long ball from goalkeeper Alisson and capitalised on a moment of misjudgement from Joao Cancelo to inflict a first loss of the campaign for Pep Guardiola's men.

The Blues thought they were ahead when Phil Foden struck home into an empty net in the second half before VAR intervened and the goal was chalked off for a foul by Erling Haaland on Fabinho in the build-up.

Guardiola and his side will be keen on returning to winning ways when they welcome Brighton and Roberto De Zerbi to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Brighton are winless in their last four league outings and would be aiming to succumb back-to-back losses on the Premier League champions this weekend.

Manchester City enter the clash in second place in the Premier League, four points adrift of leaders Arsenal, who have failed to win just one of their opening 10 league games of the season.

A trip to Germany awaits Guardiola's side following their upcoming league game, with the Blues set to face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League at Signal Iduna Park before they visit Leicester next weekend.

There remains optimism around Kyle Walker's fitness and whether the England full-back can prove his fitness in time to be named in Gareth Southgate's squad for the World Cup in Qatar.

The 32-year-old came off injured in City's 6-3 thrashing of Manchester United and is set for a spell on the sidelines.

However, Walker has since revealed his recovery is going well and all parties will be hoping the Sheffield-born defender will be fit to represent the Three Lions in Qatar.

Aymeric Laporte was on the bench for City at Anfield and could be involved against Brighton as the Blues search for their eighth Premier League win of the season.

Speaking to the press on Friday afternoon, Pep Guardiola provided an update on his squad's fitness ahead of City's league meeting with Brighton at the Etihad Stadium.

Quizzed on whether he shares Walker's optimism over a speedy recovery in time for the World Cup, Guardiola said: "I didn't speak with the doctors. Hopefully he can make the World Cup if he's selected."

Guardiola further provided an update on John Stones and Kalvin Phillips, both of whom missed the trip to Merseyside at the weekend.

"John (Stones) trained with us the last two days, he is on the list for tomorrow. Kalvin is getting incredibly well too - they are both recovering really well," the 51-year-old added.