Manchester City have suffered a potentially major injury blow with Nathan Ake subbed off early into the second half of the Premier League clash against Leeds. The defender had only just returned from a hamstring injury that came in the Champions League clash with Bayern Munich, but a setback looks to have occurred, with Ake on his haunches holding the same muscle on Saturday afternoon.
In the midweek win over West Ham, Ake made his return from injury and scored a crucial goal for his side at the Etihad Stadium. The 28-year-old was then handed another start against Leeds but he did not last beyond the hour mark as he was spotted clutching his hamstring before coming off.
Kyle Walker was his replacement, with Ake heading straight down the tunnel to receive further treatment. Thankfully, City were already two goals in front courtesy of a quick-fire brace from Ilkay Gundogan.
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Later on in the second period, Gundogan was handed the ball by Erling Haaland to take a penalty but the German struck the post with his effort to deny him of a hat-trick. Rodrigo then immediately went up the other end and scored for Leeds, giving City a real worry for the final 10 minutes.
Despite the triumph, Guardiola will be worried about the extent of Ake's injury. City must still battle for the FA Cup and the Champions League alongside their title battle with Arsenal, which means having a full squad available is incredibly important.
The Dutchman, as a left-footed defender, is also crucial to Guardiola's free-flowing system, but City were able to cope without him earlier in the campaign. There is no guarantee any prolonged absence will impact City, but there is sure to be some concern, despite the options available in defence.
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