Manchester City host Manchester United in a huge Premier League derby on Sunday and will be without key defender John Stones for the occassion.
The centre-back was forced off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury while playing for England against Germany during the international break.
Pep Guardiola on Friday told reporters:
“He is injured. He will be back when he is ready. I don’t know when he will come back but I think maybe 10 days, two weeks.”
Better news for City is that Aymeric Laporte has taken part in first-team training, with the centre-back yet to play this season after undergoing knee surgery in the summer.
He is closing in on a return, though this weekend will come too soon.
“He’s training really well, trained alone when people were with the national teams.”
Read Also: Manchester United XI Vs Man City: Team News, Injury Latest Possible Lineup
Kalvin Phillips is a longer-term absentee, and he faces a race to recover from shoulder surgery,
but Guardiola hopes the player will be fit for the World Cup.
He said:
“He feels good, the surgery was good. He is getting better the mobility.
“He took the right decision, otherwise he couldn’t move forward. Every training session or two three times he was out.
Hopefully he can be back in time to go to the World Cup and after be back with us.”
While Manuel Akanji has been impressive since arriving from Borussia Dortmund, Nathan Ake could be the preferred partner for Ruben Dias in defence.
Kyle Walker missed the trip to Wolves before the international break but is now fully fit again.
Phil Foden will be hoping to continue his run of starting every Premier League match this season, though Jack Grealish’s goal against Wolves may not be enough to keep him in the side.
A key decision for Pep Guardiola comes in midfield, with Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva competing for a spot alongside Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne.
Should Gundogan get the nod, Silva will likely play in the front three with Grealish on the bench.
Erling Haaland gets his first taste of a Manchester derby, with 11 league goals to his name already.
Bournemouth are the only side in either the Premier League or Champions League to stop him scoring this season.
Predicted Manchester City XI:
Ederson;
Walker, Dias, Ake, Cancelo;
Rodri, Gundogan, De Bruyne;
Foden, Haaland, Silva
