EPL 2021-22: AFCON returnee Riyadh Mahrez to miss Manchester City's clash against Southampton; here's why

Riyad Mahrez is back in Manchester after Algeria's early ouster in the 2021 AFCON. However, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has given him a week off.

Defending champion Algeria has been knocked out in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2021. As a result, skipper Riyad Mahrez has travelled back to Manchester to resume his 2021-22 English Premier League (EPL) duties with defending champion Manchester City. However, club head coach Pep Guardiola has decided not to rush in his return.

City is currently at the top of the table and will be facing off against 12th-placed Southampton at the Saint Mary's Stadium on Saturday. Since the match is not a high-voltage one, with City having a decent lead on the top, Guardiola feels there is no rush for him to bring in Mahrez right away. He also verified that the Algerian had permission for a week off after his AFCON duties.

"He has a holiday for a week. After AFCON, he has permission for one week off and will come back with the team next week," Guardiola was quoted as saying during the pre-match press conference on Friday. However, Mahrez's holiday will be long enough for two weeks due to the upcoming international break next week, while City's next game will be on February 5 against Fulham in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

In the meantime, Guardiola also heaped praise on Southampton for having held the side goalless earlier this season at the Etihad Stadium. He also acclaimed James Ward-Prowse as the world's best free-kick specialist. "They have the best free-kick taker in the world. As a set-piece taker, he is exceptional," he added.

Despite its unstable form this season, Guardiola also referred to Southampton as one of the best in the EPL and honoured its manager Ralph Hasenhüttl. "The quality they have, the manager is exceptional, one of the best in the Premier League by far… It's always a tough game. Our players know we have an incredible challenge tomorrow," he concluded.

City currently has an 11-point lead at the top of the EPL points table to second-placed Liverpool, having played a match extra. As things now stand, City is the favourite to retain its English crown unless it self-destructs itself. Besides Liverpool, third-placed Chelsea can also prove a contender, provided the former suffers a jolt or two.