Injuries are a normal part of football at any level, but some are more disappointing than others. Like, having to do without your best defender in one of the hardest games on your road to the title. Yep, that’s what’s happened to Manchester City.Coach Pep Guardiola has confirmed on Friday that his Portuguese centre-back Ruben Dias would have to sit out at least four weeks with a hamstring injury that’s seen him substituted during his team’s FA Cup win at Peterborough. Nathan Ake suffered the same fate and will also miss at least a couple of games.Sunday, 19.30: (1.45) Man.City (4.70) Man.Utd. (8.00)The pair of injuries leaves John Stones and Aymeric Laporte as a centre-back partnership that would have to carry the load of the Manchester Derby. Another injury or suspension would cause Guardiola a whole new headache.”It happens. In other seasons our best players have been out for months. I’d love him but he’s not there, I will not cry. It is what it is. During the season it happens. People say we were lucky with Covid. We have had 14 or 15 fit players for the last I don’t know how many games. With these players we are going to fight and try to play good. It is impossible to fight if you don’t play good. We play with our people and hopefully our people support as they always do.”OFFICIAL: Rúben Dias has been ruled out of the Manchester derby on Sunday. Pep Guardiola announced the Portuguese defender will be out for four to six weeks with a hamstring injury. 🤕 pic.twitter.com/vwlVTYHnjs— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) March 4, 2022 The Manchester Derby is set to kick off on Sunday at 19.30 hours at Etihad Stadium.
