Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake join Manchester City injury list ahead of clash with Manchester United

Pep Guardiola revealed he had to replace Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake due to injury in Manchester City’s 2-0 win over Peterborough United.

Second-half goals from Riyad Mahrez and Jack Grealish secured a 2-0 victory for City on Tuesday, as the Sky Blues progressed to the FA Cup quarter-finals.

But Guardiola opted to replace both of his starting centre-backs during the half-time break, which originally appeared as a pre-planned double change, with John Stones and Aymeric Laporte coming on.

However, speaking after the game, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager explained the substitutions were down to injury.

"Nathan finished bad in the action when he got the yellow card [at the end of the first half] and Ruben was not feeling good in his leg,” Guardiola said in his post-match press conference.

“That’s why, for caution and to be alert, we made the substitutions. It was not planned but Ayme and John were excellent [in the] second-half. I would say it was a medical decision."

The concern for Guardiola and his coaching staff is whether Dias and Ake will have recovered in time for Sunday’s Manchester derby, with the former likely to be selected, should he be fit.

Grealish returns

In more positive injury news, Grealish made a goalscoring return to the City team in Tuesday’s win. It’s the first time the winger has played for the reigning Premier League champions since a 2-0 win over Brentford on 9 February.

Grealish has suffered from a shin issue in recent weeks, but is an option for Guardiola this weekend after he was an unused substitute in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford.

Asked about Grealish after the game, Guardiola said: "It was good from Jack, who was aggressive today in the final third and back from injury.

“All the players were committed apart from the first 10 minutes of the second-half when we came in really bad, the rest was really good."