Kevin De Bruyne is set to be ruled out of Manchester City’s crunch game against Arsenal in a major blow to the champions, according to a report.
The two Premier League title favourites will do battle this weekened in potentially the most highly-anticipated game of the season so far as Arsenal look to topple their rivals in a bid to win their first top division title in 20 years.
The match, which will take place at City’s Etihad Stadium, could go a long way to deciding who claims top spot come the end of the campaign, with the two sides already the top two.
Build-up to the match has been somewhat dominated by injuries suffered by Arsenal, with the likes of captain Martin Odegaard set for a long spell on the sidelines, but City have now suffered one of their own.
According to The Mirror, De Bruyne is set to miss the tie with a groin injury, but is not expected to be out long-term.
Kevin De Bruyne is set to miss Manchester City’s crunch Premier League tie with Arsenal, according to a report
The midfielder was an early withdrawal in City’s Champions League draw with Inter Milan
The injury will mean both sides will be without their chief midfield creators for the game, meaning both Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola will have to find solutions.
Arteta tweaked his system against Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday in the absence of Odegaard, playing Leandro Trossard in a midfield role as Kai Havertz remained up top.
Against Atalanta on Thursday in the Champions League, however, he opted to drop Havertz back alongside Declan Rice and Thomas Partey, with Gabriel Jesus playing up front.
For City, Ilkay Gundogan will be the likely replacement to line up alongside Bernardo Silva and Rodri in midfield.
Phil Foden is also a candidate to play after returning from illness.
‘I didn’t speak with the doctors yet,’ Guardiola said of De Bruyne’s injury immediately after the game on Wednesday. ‘I will have more info tomorrow.
‘Against a team that defended 5-3-2 and five players went to one side, they could not make contact with Rodri and you have to turn the ball quick and we needed players special for small spaces.
‘Rico [Lewis], Phil and Gundo are the best in the pockets in the small spaces. Phil turned and shot and Gundo was there for the two crosses.
‘The way they defend, I was thinking after 35 minutes that I wanted to make this substitution. After the doctor said to me that Kevin was not ready to play but I was ready to make this substitution anyway.’
De Bruyne has played eight matches so far this season after an injury-hit campaign last term
Mikel Arteta’s side are trying to topple City and win their first top-flight title in 20 years
De Bruyne has played eight games so far this season, including four in the Premier League, the Community Shield, one in the Champions League and two with Belgium on international duty.
He has been hoping to kick on after an injury-hit campaign last year, and the setback comes on the back of criticism of the schedule from his team-mate Rodri, who revealed players could strike over the calendar.
‘I think we are close to that [striking],’ Rodri said. ‘It’s easy to understand [why]. Ask any player and they’d say the same. If it keeps going this way it’ll come to a moment where we have no other option. It is something that worries us.
‘I think it’s too much. Someone has to take care of us, because we are the main characters of this sport, or business, or whatever you want to call it. Not everything is money or marketing, it is also the quality of the show.’
