Pep furious at schedule following De Bruyne woe

MANCHESTER City manager Pep Guardiola has once more lamented the additional strain placed on players by the volume of football this season after revealing Kevin de Bruyne will be sidelined for up to six weeks.

De Bruyne limped off in the 2-0 midweek win over Aston Villa that briefly sent City to the top of the Premier League, and subsequent scans have revealed the Belgian playmaker is set for a long spell on the sidelines.

The muscular injury means De Bruyne will miss City’s FA Cup fourth-round clash at Cheltenham today, while he is also likely to be absent for showdowns against title rivals Liverpool and Tottenham next month, as well as the trip to take on Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League last-16 first-leg tie on February 24.

“The doctor said we’ll review the scan which we’ve done and it will be between four and six weeks out,” Guardiola said. “It is a big blow but we have to move forward.

“Unfortunately for him and all of us, he is out for an important part of the season. We have to find a solution as everyone is struggling and we have to adapt.”

City have already played six times this month and the congested fixture schedule shows no sign of abating as they juggle domestic and European commitments. But Guardiola renewed his criticism of the workload put on players as well as bemoaning the decision by Premier League clubs to reject making five substitutes per match.

“To demand they are fit for 11 months playing every three days is impossible,” Guardiola said. “There have been injuries at all the clubs. We’ve tried to avoid it. We have more medical treatment than ever, better nutritionists, we tried to masseur as much as possible to take care of the players but they are human beings.

“When we demand five substitutions, it’s for this reason.”