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Ruben Dias injury: Pep Guardiola confirms Man City defender side-lined for up to six weeks and transfer business could follow | Football News
Pep Guardiola has said injuries could lead to Manchester City doing more business in January after confirming centre-back Ruben Dias is out for up to six weeks with a hamstring problem.
City have also lost another centre-back with Josko Gvardiol set to undergo surgery after suffering a leg fracture in the 1-1 draw against Chelsea.
Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol leaves the pitch with help from Chelsea’s Reece James after picking up an injury
Sky Sports News understands discussions will take place at City about potentially fast-tracking summer plans to sign a defender in January which could bring Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi into contention.
Guardiola says there will be no repeat of the £176m January spend of last year but is not ruling out adding to his squad to cope with the mounting injury problems.
Asked if City will go big again in January due to the defensive injuries, he said: “No. Maybe we get something but it is completely different. We are not going to buy four or five players like last season.”
On Dias’ injury, Guardiola said: “Hamstring. Four to six weeks.”
Manchester City’s Ruben Dias picked up a hamstring injury during the 1-1 draw against Chelsea
City have already recalled young centre-back Max Alleyne from Watford for extra cover with John Stones “not ready for the next games”, according to Guardiola.
The City boss currently has only Nathan Ake, Abdukodir Khusanov and the 20-year-old Alleyne available at centre-back. Alleyne has yet to play a senior game for City.
City play Brighton tomorrow at home in the Premier League before hosting Exeter City in the FA Cup third-round.
Wednesday 7th January 6:00pm
Kick off 7:30pm
Could defensive issues cost Man City the title?
Sky Sports’ Laura Hunter:
Pep Guardiola had found a settled formula at the back this season, naming the same defensive four to start in 12 of 20 games so far. Of those 12 games, 10 ended in victory – the only defeat being a 2-1 loss at Newcastle.
With Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias at the heart of things, City have two athletic centre-backs who can play, and balance the left and right sides perfectly.
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Manchester City’s match against Chelsea in the Premier League
But here’s where problems arise. City’s stability is dependent on that combination – Dias-Gvardiol flanked by Nico O’Reilly and Matheus Nunes – being fit and available. They are now not.
Both Dias and Gvardiol limped out of Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea and it made Guardiola’s side considerably weaker, considerably more vulnerable. They conceded ground and then a late equaliser.
Speaking on his podcast, Gary Neville said City’s makeshift back four could cost them a run at the title: “I look at that City back four and that concerns me, that is not going to win a title.”
With Dias out for up to six weeks, Gvardiol sidelined for the foreseeable future and John Stones also out, City are light at the bacl.
It leaves a big hole that Guardiola does not have the personnel to fill, and with seven games across four different competitions in the month of January alone, that is a big problem.
