Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Manchester City have suffered another injury blow, with Ruben Dias out for “three or four weeks” with a muscle injury.
The defender picked up the injury in last Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United but played the full 90 minutes.
Dias, who has already missed seven games in all competitions this season with a calf injury, has made 13 Premier League appearances, with City keeping three clean sheets with him on the field.
He is set to miss the festive top-flight fixture and faces a race to be fit for their FA Cup tie against Salford City and their Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain on January 22.
“He’s out for a long time,” said Guardiola. “Three or four weeks – muscle problems.
“[He played] 75 minutes against United and felt something, but he is so strong, so stayed on the pitch and is now injured.
It is the latest in a string of injuries for the reigning champions this season, with Oscar Bob, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji and Rodry missing from the squad for the Manchester derby.
PEP [Ruben Dias will be out for] Three or four weeks. It is muscular. [He played] He felt something in the 75th minute against United but he was very strong and wanted to stay on the pitch. pic.twitter.com/6SEEuOwftL
— Manchester City (@mancity) December 20, 2024
Jeremy Doku, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and John Stones also have spells on the sidelines, while Ederson is a doubt for their trip to Aston Villa on Saturday.
Despite their injury concerns, Guardiola was upbeat at his press conference, a stark contrast to his somber mood last weekend.
City have lost eight of their last 11 games in all competitions (W1 D2), as many as in their previous 106 combined (W78 D20). They last lost more in a single campaign in 2019-20 (12).
“We just finished a game that we lost under the circumstances, and I’m not happy,” he said.
“I try to be honest about my team’s feelings. We were down six times [number of Premier League games without a win]We have to stand seven. There is no alternative.
“I’m fine. I am a normal person with feelings like all of us. When things are going well, we’re fine, but that’s normal. I won’t go to a press conference if we’re 1-0 up and say something I don’t feel.”
