Pep Guardiola rules Man City defender out for next four weeks

Pep Guardiola has said John Stones will be out of action until after the September international break due to injury.

The centre-back has missed the last three matches with a muscular issue and was not involved in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Newcastle United, where Julian Alvarez’s first-half goal secured all three points for the champions.

Speaking after the game, Guardiola said Stones will not be involved until the clash against West Ham United on 16 September, at the earliest. “John will not be ready until after the international break,” the Manchester City boss explained.

However there was better news on Bernardo Silva, who Guardiola revealed could be back in training this week and available to face Sheffield United on Sunday. “Hopefully Bernardo,” said the Catalan, when asked if any of his injured players could return soon. “I don’t know when he’s coming back, maybe tomorrow [Sunday].The rest I don’t know.

“We will have one or two days rest now because it has been so demanding since Arsenal and we are going to train a little bit our principles and our concepts we have to do.

Guardiola was also quizzed on whether Silva will sign a new contract at the club, and seemed to imply Kyle Walker has committed to remain at the club despite interest from Bayern Munich this. “It will be my dream [if Silva stays], like Kyle,” he said. “From the bottom of my heart it is my wish.”

Meanwhile, Guardiola hinted that City could be forced into the transfer market over the final two weeks of the transfer market given his lack of options in midfield and attack. “I think the club will have to make some important decisions about the club because it wasn’t expected with Kevin [De Bruyne] and we didn’t expect Riyad [Mahrez] to leave, for example. We have to see,” said the ex Barcelona boss.