Manchester City suffer major injury blow against Inter days before top-of-the-table Arsenal clash

Manchester City suffered a major injury scare on Wednesday night with Kevin De Bruyne replaced at half-time against Inter Milan.

The Belgian went down and received on-field treatment in the final stages of the first period, after he saw his effort at goal blocked by the sliding challenge of Hakan Calhanoglu. The Belgian immediately pulled up and seemed to be in some discomfort. While he managed to finish the half, De Bruyne did not emerge after the break.

Asked about the 33-year-old after the game, Guardiola said: “I don’t know. I didn’t speak with the doctors yet. Assess maybe tomorrow. I will have more info tomorrow. The doctor said to me he was not ready to play but I was thinking to change anyway.”

Savinho was also replaced at half-time, and has struggled with niggles since his move to City this summer, but Guardiola said after the game that the decision to introduce Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden at the interval was for tactical reasons.

“We needed players in the small spaces and Rico [Lewis], Phil and Gundo are the best players we have in those positions in the pockets,” he explained. “They way they defended I said after 35, maybe 40 minutes, I want to make this substitution after what happened with Kevin.”

De Bruyne’s knock means City could be without three players for Sunday’s game between the Premier League’s top two sides, with Nathan Ake and Oscar Bobb definitely set to miss out through injury. There was better news on Wednesday with Foden playing his first minutes in a month, while Rodri started for the first time this season.

As for Arsenal, they will be without Martin Odegaard, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Mikel Merino, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney this weekend, but Declan Rice will be back following his one-game suspension.