Pep Guardiola confirms Man City defenders will miss Premier League clash with Leeds United

Pep Guardiola has confirmed Kyle Walker and John Stones will not be available for Manchester City’s Premier League clash against Leeds United on Saturday.

The latter was taken off in the midweek Champions League win over Real Madrid after exacerbating an ongoing thigh injury.

Stones initially picked up the problem in the 3-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion last week, and started at right-back against Madrid, only to be forced to come off at the Etihad as Fernandinho replaced him.

Asked about Stones in his pre-match press conference, Guardiola responded: “For tomorrow he is out and we will see on Wednesday [for the return leg against Real].”

As for Walker, he sustained his injury in the Champions League quarter-final second leg against Atletico Madrid on 13 April.

The former Tottenham Hotspur full-back has not featured since then and Guardiola confirmed he will not be an option at Elland Road, and is unsure he will play again this season.

“Now I am not worried at all,” he said. “Right now, I count on the guys who are fit. He [Walker] is injured which is unfortunate for us and for him especially. I don’t pay attention, he has to work to come back as soon as possible. I am focused on the rest of the players.”

It means City will head to Leeds with just five fit defenders: Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, Nathan Ake and Oleksandr Zinchenko, although Fernandinho is also an option at the back.

Cancelo returns after his suspension in midweek, while Ake may start against Jesse Marsch’s men with Guardiola likely to rotate for this fixture which falls in between both legs against Madrid.

Despite the concerns at the back, Guardiola is expected to have every first-team midfielder and attacker available to him for Saturday’s clash with Leeds.