Pep Guardiola was absent from Manchester City's regular Friday media briefing owing to what the club described as a personal matter.
The 54-year-old Spaniard was scheduled to address journalists at the City Football Academy this afternoon ahead of the Premier League encounter with Crystal Palace.
In his stead, assistant manager Kolo Toure faced the assembled press corps.
The former Arsenal and City defender moved swiftly to allay any concerns regarding his manager's availability for the weekend fixture at Selhurst Park.
Manchester City assistant manager Kolo Toure insisted Pep Guardiola will be back for Crystal Palace
|PA
City have confirmed that Guardiola's absence from media duties will have no bearing on Sunday's top-flight contest against Oliver Glasner's side.
"Yeah Pep is fine, it's a small matter that didn't bring him here but everything is fine. He will be back for sure," Toure told reporters.
The Ivorian was emphatic when pressed on whether Guardiola would take his place in the dugout this weekend.
"Absolutely," he confirmed regarding the manager's presence at Palace.
This press conference represented a notable milestone for the 44-year-old, marking his inaugural public address to journalists since joining the first-team coaching staff.
Pep Guardiola missed Friday's press conference due to personal reasons
|REUTERS
Toure was elevated to his current role last summer, having previously worked alongside U18s manager Oli Reiss following his return to the Etihad in 2024.
Toure was equally forthcoming when discussing the Premier League title race, with City trailing Arsenal by just two points.
"I think for us we just focus on what we can do. We know the quality of Arsenal, they have a really strong squad and a fantastic manager but it is all down to us," he explained.
The assistant manager was effusive in his praise for his boss.
"We have the best manager in the world who is doing an incredible job every day, his passion for the game, he loves the players, he loves his staff. We know he will take us far as we can to win that league."
He added: "We aren't focusing on what Arsenal are doing. Every game is like a final for us."
The reigning champions arrive at Selhurst Park buoyed by their midweek triumph, having dispatched Real Madrid 2-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday evening.
Manchester City arrive at Selhurst Park having beaten Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Wednesday
|REUTERS
Should Arsenal falter against bottom-placed Wolves on Saturday, victory in south London would propel City to the summit of the table.
Toure offered an assessment of his side's current trajectory, noting improvements in their combative qualities.
"One thing we have had is fighting for the second ball, we know that in the Premier League it is a physical league," he observed.
"The team is growing and getting better every single game, every single day. That is what we want."