Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that defenders John Stones and Ruben Dias will be sidelined with injuries following Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League defeat to Bournemouth.
The reigning champions suffered their first league defeat of the season at the Vitality Stadium, ending a club-record 32-match unbeaten run in the Premier League that stretched back to December 2023. Goals from Antoine Semenyo and Evanilson secured a historic first-ever league win over City for Bournemouth, with Josko Gvardiol grabbing a late consolation for the visitors.
Stones and Dias were both absent from the matchday squad after picking up injuries, having featured in City’s 2-1 EFL Cup defeat to Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the week.
Speaking after the game, Guardiola confirmed that both defenders face spells on the sidelines, with Dias expected to remain unavailable until after the upcoming international break, while Stones could also miss City’s next two fixtures.
Softfootball understands that the injuries further compound City’s defensive problems, with several first-team defenders struggling for full fitness.
Guardiola praised Nathan Aké for playing through discomfort despite ongoing foot issues, while revealing that Manuel Akanji had only just recovered sufficiently to feature after missing the Tottenham clash. The City boss also disclosed that Kyle Walker has barely trained since reaching 100 international appearances for England, while Rico Lewis has accumulated significant minutes in recent weeks.
The injuries mean Stones and Dias are expected to miss City’s UEFA Champions League trip to Sporting Lisbon and next weekend’s Premier League fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion before the international break.
Manchester City remain hopeful both defenders will be fit for the home league clash against Tottenham Hotspur on November 23 after the international fixtures conclude.
