Ruben Dias will miss Sunday’s Manchester Derby and could not play for at least four weeks, Pep Guardiola said.
Manchester City defender Dias had a hamstring problem when they won the FA Cup beating Peterborough United during the week.
Guardiola has confirmed that the Portuguese midfielder, who has been in fine form since last season, will be out of action for at least a month.
However, Guardiola has refused to consider Dias’ absence as a serious blow to his team’s hopes in the derby, which could prove to be a crucial game in the Premier League title race.
“Ruben will not be available,” he said at a press conference before the game. “Muscles. Hamstring. Four to six weeks. It’s possible.
“In some seasons our best players have been out of action for months.
“I would love him but he is not there, I will not cry, that’s right. We have some decent players available. We have 14-15 players. With these players, we will fight and try to play well.
“[You can’t] fight if you don’t play well. We play with our people and I hope our people support us as they always do.”
Dias has started 24 of City’s 27 league games so far this season, having played 32 times in the tournament last season.
City, who will also be without Nathan Ake, look to end the Premier League twice defeating United for just the second time under Guardiola, after winning at home and away in the 2018-19 season.
However, they will face United, who have won the last three games at the Etihad Stadium, and will be looking to win four in a row for the first time since their victory between November 1993 and November 2000 on Maine Road. , when the conflict was largely dominated by the Red Devils.
United are also undefeated in eight Premier League games, which is the longest unbeaten match in all competitions.
City’s two Premier League defeat in three Premier League games has come home this season, having recently shocked 3-2 against Tottenham last week in a home game.
