Pep Guardiola has announced that Ruben Dias could be out for more than a month after suffering a hamstring injury.
The Portuguese central defender has been one of the club’s most consistent performers since he was signed from Benfica at the start of last season.
He won that campaign’s player of the year award, and has played 34 times for the club so far this season, as well as captaining the side on occasion.
City are due to face Manchester United in their derby on Saturday, with Guardiola hosting Ralf Rangnick’s men.
However they will have to look elsewhere for defensive cover after the Spanish coach revealed that Dias is out for the foreseeable future.
“Muscular. Hamstring. Four to six weeks. It happens,” he said. “In other seasons our best players have been out for months. I’d love him but he’s not there, I will not cry. It is what it is.
However, Guardiola was undaunted, saying: “We have decent players available. We have 14-15 players. With these players we are going to fight and try to play good.”
With Nathan Ake out of action with injury as well, Aymeric Laporte and John Stones are likely to start.
