Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that John Stones and Ruben Dias have joined the growing injury list, marking a significant blow as City struggles with an already stretched squad.
Stones and Dias both missed City’s recent 2-1 loss to Bournemouth, a defeat that not only halted their 32-match unbeaten Premier League run but also saw the reigning champions fall two points behind Liverpool in the league standings.
City’s injuries are piling up, with Guardiola previously noting he had only 13 players available following a midweek Carabao Cup loss to Tottenham.
Read Also: ‘Welcome to United, to England’_Pep Guardiola Welcomes New Manchester United Manager Ruben Amorim To The Premier League
Speaking after the Bournemouth match, Guardiola shared,
“Both Stones and Dias are injured. Ruben will be out until after the international break, while John’s return for the next two games remains uncertain.”
Despite the defensive setbacks, Guardiola praised his available players.
“Nathan [Ake] made an incredible effort. I asked him this morning if he could try, and he wanted to.
He’s been struggling with foot problems this season,” he explained.
Guardiola also noted Kyle Walker’s limited preparation, mentioning, “Kyle went 16 days without training and joined us yesterday for only six minutes. Manu [Akanji] couldn’t play against Spurs, but he pushed through today.”
The loss to Bournemouth was City’s first Premier League defeat in almost a year. Reflecting on the end of their unbeaten streak, Guardiola said,
“We would have liked to keep it going, but the team has already accomplished so much.”
City faces another challenging fixture within two days as they head to Portugal. Guardiola remains optimistic, recognizing the team’s resilience:
“The players give everything, and after nine years together, that commitment hasn’t wavered.”
By remaining focused on player recovery and rotation, Guardiola hopes City can bounce back in the upcoming fixtures while managing a growing injury list.
