Manchester City’s title defense has been rocked by news of serious injuries to two of their most important defenders.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Pep Guardiola confirmed that Josko Gvardiol will be out for a “long time” after suffering a tibial fracture during the weekend draw with Chelsea.
The Croatian international will require surgery and could miss the remainder of the season. To make matters worse, Ruben Dias has also been sidelined with a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out for four to six weeks.
The timing of these injuries is particularly problematic for City, who are already six points behind leaders Arsenal. With John Stones also currently on the treatment table, Guardiola is left with a skeleton crew in central defense.
The club has already recalled young defender Max Alleyne from his loan spell at Watford to provide cover, but the lack of experienced options is a major concern for a team that relies heavily on its defensive foundation to build attacks.
Speculation is already mounting that City will enter the January transfer market to address the crisis. Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi has been linked with a move to the Etihad, although the Eagles are likely to demand a fee in excess of £70 million.
For Guardiola, the challenge will be to maintain defensive stability during a crucial run of fixtures that includes a midweek clash against an in-form Brighton side.