Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that John Stones will miss Sunday's Premier League clash against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
After missing the first two months of the season with a hip injury, Stones has since featured in five of Man City's last six matches in all competitions, including a start in Tuesday's 3-0 win over Young Boys in the Champions League.
However, the 29-year-old was withdrawn at half time against the Swiss outfit after sustaining a muscle injury, and Guardiola stated after the match that the defender would be sidelined for "a while".
Stones, who has been left out of the England squad ahead of the upcoming international break, will therefore not be involved against Chelsea this weekend and has also emerged as a doubt for the clash with Liverpool on November 25.
"He is injured," Guardiola revealed at a press conference on Friday. "He is not ready for tomorrow and we will see after international break. I don't know (whether he will be ready) for Liverpool.
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"The doctor says it's not as bad (as first thought), but still I don't know. When he is going to be fit again, he will be back."
Asked whether summer signing Josko Gvardiol – who has primarily played at either left-back or centre-back this season – could replace Stones in a deep-lying midfield role, Guardiola said: "Maybe. Still he didn't prove it in the training sessions and drills that we do to see how he moves in central area.
"I haven't seen it yet. (but he is) 21 years old, so maybe. The fact John can do it is because we've been together for eight years. Josko is just two or three months here, so we need more time."
Meanwhile, Manuel Akanji recently emerged as a doubt for the trip to Chelsea as he pulled out of Man City's starting lineup against Young Boys shortly before kickoff due to a back spasm picked up in the warm-up.
However, Guardiola has confirmed that the defender "is available for Sunday" and will travel with the first-team squad to London after taking part in training on Friday morning.
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There was no mention of Sergio Gomez at Guardiola's press conference even though the left-back has missed the last two games with an unspecified problem, but the Catalan boss has provided a positive update on Kevin De Bruyne's recover from a long-term hamstring injury.
"I spoke with him and he said he feels really good," said Guardiola, "He's not training with us yet and I don't know when he will.
"I would say he's in the last phase before he trains with us again. I think (that could be soon), but I don't know.
"This kind of injury... it's better we don't put pressure on him. If the physio says next step, next step... no pressure.
"Recover, it's not necessary to take the wrong or bad decision and then you're back (where you were) again. Kevin's was a bad injury with surgery, so it's step by step."
Man City currently sit top of the Premier League table, but they could enter Sunday's clash with Chelsea in second place if Tottenham Hotspur bet Wolverhampton Wanderers and climb back to the summit on Saturday lunchtime.
Oliver Thomas
