Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was quite pessimistic when asked to give an update on Ederson’s fitness after the 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

The Brazilian international came off worse following a challenge with Forest defender Willy Boly, and he was subsequently substituted at half-time, with Stefan Ortega taking his place. Asked about the keeper’s condition following the match, Guardiola said:

“It doesn’t look good. We see tomorrow with the doctor.”

Guardiola’s comments were then reinforced when Ederson was pictured with his arm in a sling. He is a major doubt for the game against Wolves this weekend and for the subsequent fixtures versus Fulham, Tottenham, West Ham and Manchester United (in the FA Cup).

How will Ederson’s absence impact City?

The 30-year-old has missed three games with a muscular injury this season, but his understudy Ortega has shown that he is more than capable of filling in when the club’s no.1 is absent.

Some supporters have even argued that the German has been in better form than Ederson in recent months, with his performance against Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final demonstrating he is an excellent No.2.

What will the consequences be for the title race?

The victory at the City Ground closed the gap to Arsenal at the top of the table to one point. While Ederson’s potential absence during the run-in could be seen as a blow for Pep Guardiola’s side, you do feel that they will be able to cope without him.

If it was Rodri or Kevin De Bruyne who had gone down injured then the conversation would be very different. Nobody is underestimating Ederson’s importance to the team. His kicking plays a key part in Guardiola’s system but, in Ortega, many fans are confident that City have a keeper who can step in and do a job.