Ghebardior returns from injury: I never expected to be in the starting lineup.

In the final stretch of the Premier League title race, Manchester City secured a 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium, with Croatian defender Josko Gvardior returning to the starting lineup after a four-month absence.

This victory not only secured three points for Manchester City, but also allowed them to narrow the gap with league leaders Arsenal to just two points with only three rounds remaining, further escalating the title race.

Since suffering an injury in the match against Chelsea on January 4th, Ghebardior has undergone a long and arduous recovery period. After the game, he couldn't hide his excitement and surprise in an interview. He revealed, "To be honest, I was also very surprised! I never expected my name to be in the starting lineup."

"I only received the notification two or three hours before the start of the match, but as a professional player, you have to be ready to meet the challenge at any time." In his 58 minutes on the pitch, Ghebardior performed extremely steadily, and in the first half, he almost broke through the opponent's goal with a powerful header, but it was saved by the opposing goalkeeper.

Speaking about his mental journey after recovering from injury, Ghevardior said, "This period has not been easy, but I see the injury as a new challenge. I feel great now, although I can't say I'm back to 100% competitive form yet, but that's normal. I need to find my rhythm through real matches."

"Compared to a few years ago, I am more experienced now. I try to take responsibility like a man and make the handling of the game as simple and efficient as possible."

Image source: Internet/Manchester City official website