- Manchester City’s John Stones sidelined until post-international break due to hip injury, adding to Pep Guardiola’s selection concerns
- Stones’ absence compounds Guardiola’s challenges; Kevin De Bruyne also out. City prevails despite injuries, sitting second in Premier League
Manchester City have been dealt another blow with the news that John Stones will be out until after the international break.
Stones has been out of action since suffering a hip injury in the preseason and has missed both of City’s Premier League games against Burnley and Newcastle.
He also sat out their Super Cup penalty shootout win over Sevilla, and he is expected to be out for at least another three weeks.
City’s next two Premier League games are against Sheffield United on August 27 and Fulham on September 2.
This comes before the international break, which runs from September 4 to September 12, when England plays Ukraine in a European qualifier and Scotland in a friendly.
Stones appeared in 34 games for City last season, helping the club win an unprecedented Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League treble.
Pep Guardiola’s selection problems are exacerbated by Stones’ absence, with Kevin De Bruyne also ruled out for a few months after aggravating a hamstring injury.
Speaking at the time, Guardiola said:
First of all, you have to say it’s a blow for us, a big loss. Kevin has specific qualities you can lose for one game, two games but for a long time it’s really tough.
But at the same time, you have to look forward and of course we have alternatives, with different skills because Kevin is irreplaceable but we have different talented players given an opportunity and I’m pretty sure they will take it.
City’s injury woes haven’t hampered them too much so far, as they started the season with 3-0 and 1-0 victories over Burnley and Newcastle, respectively.
Between those two games, City won the Super Cup against Sevilla, and they now sit second in the Premier League table behind Brighton on goal difference.