Pep Guardiola confirms fresh double Man City injury blow after defeat to Bournemouth | OneFootball

Premier League champions in the midst of fitness crisis

Pep Guardiola has revealed John Stones and Ruben Dias are the latest players to be added to the Manchester City injury list.

Guardiola has previously claimed after the 2-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Tottenham in midweek he had just 13 players to call upon.

After falling two points behind Liverpool in the League, he said: “They [Stones and Dias] are injured.

“Ruben until the international break will be injured, John - I don’t know if he’ll be back for the next two games.”

On the rest of his defence, Guardiola added: “I’m really pleased for the incredible effort from Nathan [Ake], I asked him this morning and I asked him. He said he wanted to try. He’s struggled this season with problems in his feet.

Man City were shocked at Bournemouth on Saturday

REUTERS

"Kyle [Walker], 16 days didn't train with us until yesterday. “Manu [Akanji] couldn’t play against Spurs and made an effort today.

“Walker - his last game was with the national team to reach 100 games and since then could not train one session, yesterday he did six minutes. It’s what it is. Accept it.”

City’s defeat at Bournemouth was their first in the League for nearly a year.

"We would like to keep defending it but how many games and months we did it... it's great,” Guardiola said.

"We have another game in two days in Portugal and we have to go again.

"They [Bournemouth] had chances, we created as well at the end too, but we could not win any balls from the wingers.

"They were difficult to play in the first half. We knew how they would play. It was well-deserved. The guys give everything because after nine years together they always will."