Manchester City may be without a key player when Liverpool visit the Etihad Stadium later this month as boss Pep Guardiola predicts John Stones will be out for ‘a while’.
The intense nature of City’s Champions League campaign running simultaneously with the Premier League has taken it’s toll after Stones was removed at half-time during last night’s 3-0 home win over Young Boys.
It comes as a follow-up to a hip issue that prevented the England international from featuring in his club’s campaign before October 8, by which time he had missed 12 matches in all competitions.
“John felt it again,” Guardiola told TNT Sports after the final whistle. “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.”
The Spaniard’s phrasing therefore implies the defender will not be fit and ready for the Reds’ visit to face the current league leaders on November 25 – the first Premier League fixture after the upcoming international break.
City remain unbeaten against Jurgen Klopp’s men at home since April 2018, something Stones has made sure to have a direct say in, to the annoyance of the travelling support.
In January 2019 he swept the ball off the goal-line to prevent his own clearance – that had ricocheted back off the face of Ederson – on the way to a 2-1 win for the hosts. The 11 millimetres between the ball crossing the line and not proved to be a title-deciding moment as Guardiola’s team won the title by a single point ahead of Liverpool.
Then as Liverpool watched on with problems to solve last season, City claimed a historic treble. Stones was effectively utilised as an inverted full-back, and the side lost only one of the 34 matches in which he played. That fine record has continued into the new season too, winning all four that he has started.
Before the Etihad clash, the Reds must first host Brentford while City travel to Stamford Bridge. The gap between the two is currently three points.
