Stomach bug ruled Foden out of squad

PHIL Foden has yet to play for City this season – and he has been thwarted in his Blues ambitions again.

The 19-year-old Stockport lad was left out of the travelling squad which headed to Ukraine on Monday for the opening Champions League group game against Shakhtar Donetsk.

And that came as a shock – especially after City’s poor showing at Norwich on Saturday – and many thought the England Under-21 international might be given his chance.

He played against Shakhtar in a 2-1 Champions League defeat two years ago, albeit in a scratch team, with City already qualified.

Foden was said to be ‘not fully fit’, which explained his absence from the party which has stayed two nights in Kharkiv.

But Guardiola revealed that the teenager had suffered a stomach bug which ruled him out of the trip.

Injury to John Stones, suffered in morning training on Tuesday and could see the defender out for up to five weeks, means that another academy graduate, Eric Garcia, is in line to join the squad in the Metalist Stadium tomorrow night.

And 18-year-old Taylor Harwood-Bellis - another Stockport lad - could step up to the first-team squad after flying out for the Uefa Youth League. CITY will be hoping to get back to winning ways tonight as they kick-off their quest to finally win the Champions League as they (once again) take on Shakhtar Donetsk.

It’s the third consecutive season the teams have drawn each other in the group stages, with City winning three of the four meetings to date, so while a 4,000 round trip isn’t the greatest remedy to a first Premier League defeat since January at least the opposition is favourable.

Pep Guardiola’s sides are near on impossible to predict when things are going well so to know what he’s thinking in the aftermath of a loss will take some doing.

However, while Guardiola will be wary of not slipping up and having two poor results in a row, it does feel clear that the Blues boss will make sweeping changes to his side now the games are going to start coming thick and fast.

Tonight’s game offers a good opportunity for some experimentation with other players earning vital minutes – with John Stones’ injury meaning at least one change to the starting XI.

The defence especially could see some radical changes, although Ederson will likely continue in goal despite the full fitness of Claudio Bravo.

Joao Cancelo will likely come in at right-back in place of Kyle Walker, who was out of sorts on Saturday, to make his full debut after only playing a minute of football so far.

There is also potential for change at left-back.

Benjamin Mendy has travelled with the squad and could make his first appearance since City were knocked out of the Champions League by Tottenham.

Though it would be great to see him back it may be risky to throw him straight back into the action.

Summer re-signing Angelino has also travelled and he could make his debut too or perhaps Aleks Zinchenko will keep his place in his native Ukraine.

Despite Nicolas Otamendi’s antics at Carrow Road, he will have to keep him place alongside Fernandinho, who will be tested in the position.

City are short on defenders following John Stones’ and Aymeric Laporte’s injuries and