Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Manchester City will have to do without centre-back Rubén Dias for at least the next three weeks.
Dias missed November with a calf injury but has played the full 90 minutes in each of City’s last four games, including Manchester derby defeat to Manchester United last weekend
It was in that 2-1 defeat to the Red Devils when Dias was injured that Guardiola revealed he would be out for “a long time” at centre-back.
Pushed to give a specific deadline, Guardiola added: “Three or four weeks. Muscular. 75 minutes against. united. He felt something, but he is very strong and wanted to stay on the pitch.”
Guardiola also revealed that goalkeeper Ederson “might not be ready” for City’s trip to Aston Villa on Saturday, but did not reveal the nature of the Brazilian’s problem.
city remains without Dutch international Nathan Ake, but Dias’ absence has been offset by the return of John Stones and Manuel Akanji to full training.
“Manuel and John are back in training,” he said. “That’s good for us. The more players coming back the better.
“I don’t know (if they can start against Aston Villa) yet. Yesterday was their first training session, I would say, properly. They’ve been out for a while.”
City go into the match having lost eight of their last 11 games in all competitions, a run which is comfortably the worst of Guardiola’s managerial career. As a result, the eight-time Premier League winners fall nine points behind leaders Liverpool and sit fifth in the table from behind. Chelsea, arsenal and surprise package Nottingham Forest.
