Manchester City suffer major defensive injury blow ahead of Arsenal showdown | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola will be forced to take on Arsenal in this weekend’s Premier League title ‘decider’ without one of his primary first-team stars, it has been confirmed.

The timing could not be more critical for Manchester City, and after a statement 3-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, momentum appeared to be firmly with the Sky Blues as they looked to capitalise on Arsenal’s recent slip-up against Bournemouth.

However, the task of stopping Mikel Arteta’s highly-regarded squad has no doubt become significantly harder ahead of the weekend with the loss of a key vocal leader in the heart of the backline.

Manchester City come into the weekend’s mouthwatering clash with the Gunners six points behind the leaders, though they crucially hold a game in hand against Crystal Palace to be played later in the business end of the ongoing run-in.

Any further defensive fragilities or absentees across the park could certainly be the difference between securing another historic trophy haul or finishing as runners-up in one of the most enthralling title races in recent memory.

Ruben Dias to miss Manchester City vs Arsenal

Now, as per the Manchester Evening News’ Simon Bajkowski, Ruben Dias will not be ready to return to Manchester City in action in time for Sunday afternoon’s clash with Arsenal, owing to an ankle injury suffered last month.

It is further detailed that the Portugal international is also not likely to be back for the rest of the month, with Manchester City still to take on Burnley at Turf Moor in the Premier League, as well as Southampton at Wembley Stadium in the FA Cup semi-final.

Pep Guardiola could issue an update on Dias’ fitness and the extent of the injury when he faces the media in his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon, with the second-half of the media address to be released on Saturday night.

How Pep Guardiola will replace Ruben Dias

The absence of Ruben Dias places pressure on the newly-formed, and impressive partnership of Marc Guehi and Abdukodir Khusanov, who have been tasked with marshalling the defence during this crucial run-in.

While Guehi has drawn widespread praise for his leadership since arriving at the Etihad Stadium, the loss of Dias’ experience in six-pointer games is a void Pep Guardiola must tactically bridge.

Manchester City’s medical staff had initially hoped the defender would recover in time for this weekend, but the ankle issue has proved more stubborn than first diagnosed.

Every game Dias is expected to miss

Looking ahead, Manchester City’s depth will be tested to its absolute limit over the next 14 days. Following the Arsenal clash on April 19, the Blues face a quick turnaround for a trip to Burnley before descending on Wembley for their FA Cup semi-final showdown.

With captain Bernardo Silva recently confirming his emotional summer exit, the squad will no doubt be desperate to deliver a perfect April as a parting gift to the Portuguese icon, but they must now do so without a defensive general.