DE BRUYNE RULED OUT OF DERBY
BELGIAN ACE DE BRUYNE TO MISS DERBY AS HE’S RULED OUT FOR SIX WEEKS WITH KNEE INJURY
KEVIN De Bruyne will be out for five to six weeks, ruling him out of the derby.
The midfield ace does not need surgery on the problem, which could also keep him out of the clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on December 8.
De Bruyne was substituted late in the Carabao Cup win over Fulham after on-loan United man Timothy Fosu-Mensah fell onto his knee as the Belgium star sat on the ground.
He grimaced but tried to play on, only to start limping, with concerned team-mates calling for assistance from the City medical staff.
De Bruyne has already missed two months of the season after damaging lateral collateral ligaments in training, days after the opening-day win over Arsenal, the second long-term knee ligament problem he has sustained since joining the club in 2015.
This injury was to his left knee, while the last one was to his right.
“For the fact he was out two-and-a-half months and again, we’re sad for him. Nobody likes to be injured,” said Pep Guardiola.
“When you come back you cannot expect in one day to be the player we know he is, he needs time to settle, take the rhythm, the pace.
“Yesterday he came back in many things but it is what it is. Unfortunately he’s injured but fortunately it’s not surgery. Between four and six weeks, the doctor said, he will come back.”
PEP Guardiola offered two silver linings to the dark cloud of Kevin de Bruyne’s new knee injury problem.
The City manager confirmed the Belgian ace will be treated by his favourite doctor, Ramon Cugat, after flying to Barcelona.
De Bruyne is expected to be out for up to six weeks, meaning he will miss the derby and is a doubt for the trip to Chelsea.
But Guardiola said the fact the Belgian ace has missed so much football in the early part of the season could be a blessing later in the campaign.
And he is expected to have Ilkay Gundogan back available for tomorrow’s home game with Southampton to reinforce his midfield after losing De Bruyne.
Guardiola said De Bruyne had been saddened by suffering yet another injury blow so soon after making his comeback from a two-month lay-off after injuring ligaments in his other knee.
But he looked on the bright side, feeling that it could benefit City down the line and that at least it gives him some time to spend with his new-born baby son, Rome.
“I was so sad, I didn’t see him after the game,” said Guardiola. “The next day he’ll be strong again, he’ll spend the time with his new boy. Hopefully, we’ll be in the knockout of the Champions League when he comes back.
“That will help us in the last part, that he will be fresh and help us reach our targets. He will be treated by Dr Cugat and he’ll also be treated here. He’ll be in a really good place to deal with the problem.”
Guardiola also said the fact it is De Bruyne’s third knee ligament injury in less than three years is not a matter for concern, as they have all been impact injuries, which cannot be avoided.
“This kind of injury is unlucky,” he said “He’s so strong and he’s recovered so well, it was more dangerous than this one.
“He’ll recover well, we have an excellent department. I’m more concerned about muscular injuries. He’s unlucky with that situation.
“We are a stronger team with Kevin than without him but we have to live without him and we have to be.”
The impending return of Gundogan eases the matter.
The Germany midfield star was not fit for the win over Fulham in the Carabao Cup in midweek but has a chance of being involved against the Saints. “Gundo is training with the team and before the game against Fulham in the cup he said he wasn’t comfortable 100 per cent,” he said. The other injury absentee against Fulham was Nicolas Otamendi, and he also has an outside chance of being involved tomorrow. “Nico still has a tendon problem - he didn’t train today and won’t be able to play next game so strong with his mentality,” said Guardiola. “Maybe tomorrow he will come and say he’s ready. “The others are fit.”
Hopefully, we’ll be in the knockout of the Champions League when he comes back Pep Guardiola