Pep Guardiola issues worrying update on Ruben Dias and John Stones after Manchester City absence against Bournemouth | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued a worrying update on the fitness of both John Stones and Ruben Dias ahead of their meeting with Bournemouth.

The Premier League champions will be hoping to return to winning ways after crashing out of the Carabao Cup at the fourth round stages at the hands of Tottenham on Wednesday night, with numerous fitness problems emerging.

Thankfully for all those of a Manchester City allegiance, all of club captain Kyle Walker, Manuel Akanji, Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku, and Savinho – who was stretchered off in North London with an ankle concern – are included in matchday proceedings this weekend.

That leaves a six-man list containing third-choice goalkeeper Scott Carson, central defensive pairing Ruben Dias and John Stones, Jack Grealish, and long-term absentees Rodri and Oscar Bobb out of Pep Guardiola’s side on the south coast.

Speaking ahead of kick-off at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday afternoon, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola told television broadcasters that both John Stones and Ruben Dias would be ruled out of action for “a little bit of a long time” with unnamed fitness issues.

“Manu (Akanji) could not play against Spurs and today he made the effort,” said Guardiola.

“Nathan (Ake), he’s not his best but we don’t have alternatives, John and Ruben will be out for a little bit of a long time and Kyle (Walker) comes back after two weeks without playing.”

The Catalan tactician closed, “So we are 11, go for it, and that’s all!”

Discussing the return of Kevin De Bruyne to matchday action, Pep Guardiola said, “Especially (good news) for us! One month-and-a-half out after the Inter Milan game.

“So yesterday he felt a little bit better and said, ‘I would like to start to be with the team’, and it’s good that he’s coming back.”

Despite his inclusion on the Manchester City bench and in the squad for the first time since late September, De Bruyne was notably not warming up alongside his teammates at the Vitality Stadium ahead of kick-off.

That development comes despite the Belgian training alongside the first-team squad as normal for the last few weeks, building fitness whilst excluding himself from Belgium national team duties for both their October and November fixtures.

After the contest against Bournemouth, Manchester City will return to UEFA Champions League action with a visit to Sporting in Lisbon, while Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium will mark the end of their latest block of matches.