PEP IS SO GUARDED

PEP GUARDIOLA cut a sullen figure as Manchester City’s injury crisis deepened.

After revealing John Stones is out for up to six weeks, leaving him with just one fit central defender in Nicolas Otamendi (right), Guardiola tried to put on a brave face.

“It’s a big challenge,” said the City boss, ahead of tonight’s Champions

League opener at Shakhtar Donetsk.

“For me, as a manager, it’s an incredible challenge. We’ve got just one centre defender in Nico, but I believe a lot in the something people don’t know, which is the spirit and commitment.

“Everyone must make a step forward to solve this problem. It is what it is. Sometimes these situations happen, it has happened and what we are not going to do is complain.

“It’s not a problem. They will do it, no problem. My players are the best, we will work out, with the players we have, how to create something. “Football is not how you handle good situations, it’s how you handle the bad ones. This team has done that in the past. We’ve won seven titles, nobody gave us anything – we won them for ourselves.

“The ideal situation doesn’t exist in football, it’s how you approach the challenge and I’m ready for the challenge. I like it.”

Despite his positive spin, Guardiola’s dismay at the latest setback suffered by Stones, who only returned for Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at Norwich after a thigh injury, was all too evident.

With City’s best defender Aymeric Laporte out until February following knee surgery, they will have to deploy midfielder Fernandinho alongside Otamendi.

“If they’re not able to play, they’re not able to play,” Guardiola added. “So we have to get 11 players on the pitch and make an extra effort.”