Manchester City’s injury crisis has deepened after John Stones was ruled out for up to six weeks.
Stones suffered the thigh injury in training at the Metalist Stadium in Kharkiv, ahead of tonight’s Champions League opener against Shakhtar Donetsk.
The loss of Stones means City boss Pep Guardiola is now down to one fit central defender in Nicolas Otamendi, with Aymeric Laporte out until February following knee surgery.
City failed to sign a defensive replacement for skipper Vincent Kompany, who left at the end of last season, with Guardiola’s options at the back now stretched to the limit.
It means Guardiola will have to play midfielder Fernandinho in central defence, as well as drafting youngsters Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Eric Garcia into the first-team squad.
“John Stones is injured,” said Guardiola. “He got injured this morning in training. He made a pass and got injured.”
Asked how long Stones would be sidelined for, Guardiola said: “Months – four or five or six weeks. It’s a muscle problem.”
Stones only made his return after a month out in Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at Norwich, which saw him and Otamendi come in for criticism for their sloppy defending which led to the goals.
Gary Neville, analysing City’s defeat in his role as a Sky pundit, said the champions had no chance of retaining the title if Stones and Otamendi continued to defend so poorly.
But Guardiola said: “No comment on what the pundits say. They’re pundits, it’s their job.
“I’ve got respect for John and Nico, what they’ve done and what they continue to do for our team, our club.”
mirror.co.uk
