Pep Guardiola confirms Man City star missed Liverpool win due to hamstring injury

The Manchester City manager also had an update on Kalvin Phillips.
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Pep Guardiola has confirmed Ruben Dias missed Manchester City’s Carabao Cup win over Liverpool due to a hamstring issue.

The defender, who played a leading role for Portugal during the World Cup, was not named in the Blues’ squad for the 3-2 victory on Thursday night as City progressed to the quarter-final stages.

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Speaking after the game, Guardiola said: “Ruben has a hamstring injury from the last game in the World Cup and he is out.” Meanwhile, the City manager also explained why Kalvin Phillips missed out. “Kalvin Phillips is not fit, he did not arrive in the best conditions to train,” Guardiola revealed.

Both are therefore doubts for City’s next match, away at Leeds United in six days’ time, while Ederson also missed out against Liverpool due to a late return to the squad following the World Cup. He is, however, expected to be involved at Elland Road.

Guardiola also confirmed that Kevin De Bruyne was fit after the midfielder seemed to call for medical attention in the final stages of the contest at the Etihad. However, Guardiola appeared unaware of the problem when speaking in his post-match press conference. “I don’t know, he was good in the locker room,” he said.

Asked how De Bruyne had responded to Belgium’s early World Cup exit, Guardiola said the 31-year-old can be at his best when ‘grumpy’.

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“He arrived, the first training session he was back I was not here but I was told it was brilliant, the game against Girona was brilliant and today he was outstanding.

“Kevin has had eight years here, you know him like me, he just has to find the right fire inside of himself, just to be a little bit, I would say grumpy or upset to play his best. That is his energy inside of him. When this happens, what a player; run, right, assist to score a goals, he is more than a player.

“I know it is not easy to find every three days this consistency but today he has something inside that says ‘I am going to it, I want to fight’. When this happens it is Mr Kevin De Bruyne, what can I say? Eight years he has done everything for this club - an absolute legend, he will be remembered forever as one of the greatest players of this club.”

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