Pep Guardiola has confirmed Manchester Metropolis must do with out centre-back Ruben Dias for a minimum of the following three weeks.
Dias missed November with a calf harm however performed the total 90 minutes in every of Metropolis’s final 4 video games, together with within the Manchester derby defeat to Manchester United final weekend.
It was in that 2-1 defeat to the Pink Devils that Dias picked up an harm which Guardiola first revealed would preserve the centre-back out for “a very long time”.
Pushed to present a particular timeframe, Guardiola added: “Three or 4 weeks. Muscular. 75 minutes towards United. He felt one thing however he’s so sturdy and wished to remain on the pitch.”
Guardiola additionally revealed that goalkeeper Ederson “might not be prepared” for Metropolis’s journey to face Aston Villa on Saturday, however didn’t disclose the character of the Brazilian’s drawback.
Metropolis stay with out Dutch worldwide Nathan Ake however Dias’ absence has been counteracted by the returns of each John Stones and Manuel Akanji to full coaching.
“Manuel and John are again in coaching,” he mentioned. “That’s good for us. As many gamers which are again the higher.
“I do not know but [if they can start against Aston Villa]. Yesterday was their first coaching session, I might say, correctly. They’ve been out for some time.”
Metropolis head into the sport having misplaced eight of their final 11 video games throughout all competitions – a run that’s comfortably the worst of Guardiola’s managerial profession. The eight-time Premier League winners path leaders Liverpool by 9 factors because of this, and sit fifth within the desk behind Chelsea, Arsenal and shock bundle Nottingham Forest.
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