Kyle Walker and John Stones will miss Sunday’s vital Premier League title match against Arsenal, due to injuries giving a heavy blow to Manchester City.
While playing for England internationally, both players sustained injuries.
Walker’s hamstring injury forced him to be substituted early in the team’s 1-0 defeat to Brazil, and Stones hobbled down the pitch in Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Belgium.
The reigning champions City are third in the Premier League,but just one point behind the leader Arsenal,who are ahead of Liverpool only on goal difference.
The absence of the key defensive duo is also a worry for City with the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final away to Real Madrid on April 9.
“Kyle’s (injury is) more tough than John’s but they will be out – I don’t know for how many games,” said Guardiola at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
However, there was more positive news for Guardiola as Ederson, Manuel Akanji, Jack Grealish and Kevin De Bruyne all look set to return from injury.
De Bruyne, who sat out City’s 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final win over Newcastle before the international break, has suffered an injury-plagued season after missing the first five months of the campaign with a hamstring tear.
“Kevin is so important,” added Guardiola. “It has been a tough season for him with injuries.
“He has been out for a long time but he trained really well yesterday. We will see what he does in the next days.”
