Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has suggested that Stefan Ortega could retain his place in goal, following the decision to drop first-choice goalkeeper Ederson in their 2-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.
Guardiola made several significant changes to his starting lineup as Man City sought to end their now seven-match winless streak.
Among those adjustments, Ortega replaced Ederson, who had come under scrutiny after a costly error in the recent 3-3 draw with Feyenoord in the Champions League.
Additionally, Josko Gvardiol was benched, with Ruben Dias making his return to the heart of the defence.
However, the shake-up failed to yield the desired results.
Ortega’s performance came under scrutiny after he conceded a penalty for a foul on Luis Díaz, which Mohamed Salah calmly converted to seal Liverpool’s victory.
The German goalkeeper’s misstep compounded City’s struggles as Cody Gakpo’s earlier goal had already put the hosts in control at Anfield.
Speaking ahead of City’s crucial home fixture against Nottingham Forest – where they will aim to secure their first win since October – Guardiola reiterated his belief in Ederson as the club’s No. 1 goalkeeper.
Yet, he left the door open for Ortega to continue in the role temporarily.
When asked about Ederson’s reaction to being dropped, the Spanish manager explained: “Really good. We’ve known each other for eight years, nine years.
“Ederson is Man City’s No. 1, Stefan [Ortega] is No. 2. But maybe Stefan will continue, we will see tomorrow and in the next games.”
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