Manchester City's Aymeric Laporte suffers nasty head injury just eight days before the World Cup

Aymeric Laporte has picked up a painful-looking head injury just eight days before the World Cup.

The Manchester City star, playing against Brentford in the Premier League's early kick-off on Saturday afternoon, was left bleeding on the floor after an accidental elbow to his face.

Laporte received treatment on the pitch and eventually played on - but could be sweating over his World Cup place with Spain, given the possibility head injury symptoms can present themselves later on.

From a Brentford corner, unsighted Bees defender Ethan Pinnock accidentally saw his elbow collide with Laporte, who was jumping behind him.

Referee Peter Bankes stopped the game, allowing City physios to race onto the pitch and deal with the 28-year-old, who had blood streaming from a nasty gash.

After glue was applied to the cut, Laporte grimaced in pain as his head was bandaged up tightly, Terry Butcher-style.

Laporte eventually came back onto the pitch seven minutes later, before making a brilliant sliding clearance in the penalty area to deny Ivan Toney an open goal.

The left-sided centre back was born in France and represented the country at age-grade level but started representing Spain in 2021 and was named in Luis Enrique's official squad for the Qatar tournament.

Laporte, capped 15 times by La Roja, will hope to recover in time to be involved in his country's competition opener against Costa Rica on November 23.