Manchester City have been hit with a major blow as they attempt to hold off Liverpool’s challenge at the top of the Premier League.
Ruben Dias, one of the most influential figures in last season’s League-winning campaign, has suffered a hamstring problem and will likely be ruled out of action for the next six weeks.
Dias sustained the injury in the first half of Tuesday’s 2-0 FA Cup win over Peterborough, and with Nathan Ake also forced off in that match with a less serious problem, John Stones and Aymeric Laporte are City’s only senior central defenders available for Sunday’s Manchester derby.
"It happens in a season," Pep Guardiola said.
"One season, one of the best players was out for eight or nine months - Kevin (De Bruyne).
"I don’t love it, we need him - a lot. Ruben is massively important for us but he is not there.
"I’m not going to cry. We have just two central defenders - it is what it is."
The timescale for Dias’ injury makes it uncertain whether or not he will return in time for City’s match against Liverpool on April 10.
Before then, City take a 5-0 lead into the second leg of their Champions League clash against Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday night before Premier League matches against Crystal Palace and Burnley, as well as the FA Cup trip to Southampton.
"We have 15 players available but we’ve had 15 players in the last months and the people said we were lucky with Covid, you know?" Guardiola added.
"We had 15-16 players for I don’t know how many months. We’re going to fight."
