Manchester City have been dealt a bitter blow as manager Pep Guardiola has claimed that John Stones "will be out for a while".
Stones substituted at half-time against Young BoysCity won 3-0Guardiola believes Stones' injury is seriousWHAT HAPPENED?
Stones was substituted at half-time in City's 3-0 win over Young Boys, with confusion reigning as to the reason for the switch. Guardiola has confirmed since that the England international sustained an injury, and could face a significant lay-off.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Stones has been limited to just four Premier League appearances this season due to a hip injury, and the appearance against Young Boys was his first in the Champions League in 2023/24. While he was withdrawn at half-time, City won thanks to a brace from Erling Haaland and an excellent Phil Foden goal.
WHAT THEY SAID
Guardiola said after the game, as per Sam Lee of : "John felt it again. I feel so sorry for him. It's a big loss for us. John is so important for what he does. But recover and the season is long; he will be back stronger. I think he will be out for a while."
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City face a difficult run of games, as they play Chelsea this weekend before taking on Liverpool, RB Leipzig and Tottenham on the trot. Despite their strength in depth across the board, Stones could prove to be a big miss for such fixtures.