Manchester City have been dealt a title blow with Ruben Dias facing up to six weeks out – starting with Sunday's derby against Manchester United.
Dias sustained a hamstring injury during Tuesday's FA Cup victory at Peterborough United and City's fears were confirmed after tests at the club's training base.
Pep Guardiola revealed that the 24-year-old, who makes up one-fifth of the team's leadership group, is set for at least a month on the sidelines.
That raises the prospect of Dias missing a crunch title showdown with Liverpool on April 10 and potentially both legs of a Champions League quarter-final.
'It happens every season,' Guardiola said. 'One of the best players – Kevin [De Bruyne] one season was out for eight months. But I'm not going to cry.
'We have two central defenders, we have 15 players and people say we were lucky with Covid, we just play. We try to play good. Make good movements and win the game with our people.'
John Stones and Aymeric Laporte will be paired together in the absence of Dias. Nathan Ake is also struggling for fitness.
daddyliverpool
599
Diaz get well soon and come back competitively. it's part of the game . it might be an advantage for other teams but we wish u well
RaghibMustafa
279
Manchester City with Dias vs without Dias
lawalidris
208
City will shock the world . you think Dias sideline will affect City, let me put it to you that it will be blessing in disguise. City will win all their games while those teams thinking they can ripe the benefit of this will surely drop points because it had already destined that City will win again. it happens last season when they celebrated KDB injury thinking that is the end of City's hope of winning premier League until Gundugan come from the blues to rescue City. so shall it happens again.
Boscovic
182
Good news for the opponent's but not that bad for city!All city players on the are like all star players.There's guy call John stones who can handle well and even score goals.Ake also a very good defender.So city gonna continue winning!Up blues ⚪🔵
Cherifou
171
Liverpool fan be like ....Allow us to double check.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣