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Manchester City face a significant question ahead of their Premier League clash against Arsenal, as Kevin De Bruyne hobbled off during their Champions League game against Inter Milan on Wednesday (September 18). The Belgian midfielder was substituted at half-time, with Phil Foden taking his place.
Pep Guardiola confirmed that De Bruyne sustained a knock but remained tight-lipped about the injury’s extent, saying the 33-year-old would be assessed in the coming days. Initially viewed as a precaution, it is now confirmed that the Manchester City star will miss the crucial match against the Gunners on Sunday, September 22.
According to The Mirror, Guardiola and City are unwilling to risk De Bruyne, who has struggled with fitness over the past year. While there are concerns about his availability given his injury record, the report suggests that it is not long-term and that the Belgian is expected to return sooner rather than later.
Nevertheless, Manchester City will be cautious in managing Kevin De Bruyne’s situation. After playing a pivotal role in helping the Citizens win the treble in 2023, he was sidelined for over four months last season due to a hamstring injury.
Since then, Guardiola has been careful in terms of De Bruyne’s workload despite his impressive contributions of six goals and 18 assists in 26 games, which helped City secure a fourth consecutive Premier League title.
In Kevin De Bruyne’s absence, the Spanish tactician does have strength in depth this time. Phil Foden, who recently returned from a month-long illness, played the second half against Inter in his favored attacking midfield position, while Ilkay Gundogan could also start in the middle of the park.
Pep Guardiola comments on Manchester City key players' limited playing time this season
Before the international break, Pep Guardiola made just one change to the starting lineup across three games, which was a forced substitution when Jeremy Doku replaced Savinho. As a result, Manchester City key players such as John Stones, Kyle Walker, Ilkay Gundogan, Rodri, and Phil Foden did not get the desired minutes to regain full match fitness.
This was evident in the last two matches against Brentford (City won 2-1) and Inter Milan (0-0), where City struggled to handle counter-attacks and their attack lacked the usual ruthlessness. Gundogan, Rodri, and Foden did not perform at their best in the Champions League game, raising concerns about their readiness to adapt for the big game against Arsenal, especially in light of Kevin De Bruyne’s injury.
When asked about this, Guardiola said he is not worried about the lack of minutes and believes the team delivered solid performances in the last two games.
"Maybe, but it is what it is. We don’t control the schedule, the calendar, the Champions League draw we play Inter at home and now Arsenal are there. No complaints at all, it is what it is. Players have behaved really well so far this season, with the Community Shield we had a lot of problems in that game but in the Premier League we behave really good," he said (via Metro UK).
Following the game against Arsenal, Manchester City will take on Watford in the EFL Cup on Tuesday (September 24), followed by an away trip to Newcastle United the following week (September 28).
