Pep tells stars to dig deep as injuries bite

MANCHESTER CITY are left with more injury issues, with Pep Guardiola ruling out a trio of first-choice defenders for the final three games of this absorbing title race. Ruben Dias limped out at half-time of yesterday’s mauling of Newcastle United after suffering a hamstring problem. Guardiola confirmed that Dias, Kyle Walker and John Stones will play no further part this season as City look to stave off Liverpool and clinch a fourth Premier League crown in five years. Nathan Ake was named on the bench yesterday but his persistent ankle problem is likely to see the Holland international miss Wednesday’s trip to Wolves, described by Guardiola as a ‘final final’. Club captain Fernandinho is set to deputise. The City manager said: ‘We have 13and-a-half players available for these games, no more than that. When that happens everyone has to do more and more to help with the absence. It is what it is. We arrive with problems and that’s all. ‘But honestly in this situation it’s not a problem. If Rodri has to play in that position he will play. Everyone has to do extra.’ Guardiola did add that yesterday was a ‘perfect afternoon’ as City emphatically responded to their dramatic collapse at Real Madrid last week, while Rodri praised the team’s mental fortitude. ‘The Champions League was like a war, a big battle in the brain,’ the midfielder said. ‘You keeping thinking about what happened. It’s tough. You wait eight months for the moment to arrive and then in the last minute it is gone. ‘We showed the personality we have in the team (against Newcastle). We had to wake up because we have another title to fight for. Emotionally, this is a vital win.’ Guardiola stoked the fires with Liverpool, claiming the whole country would rather Jurgen Klopp’s team prevail, while referencing that the Reds have only won one top-flight title in three decades. ‘Maybe they have more supporters all around the world and in England maybe more support Liverpool than us,’ he said, before revealing that the atmosphere at the Etihad Stadium went up several notches yesterday. Guardiola added: ‘In the locker room, most of the time with the players we talk about our away fans being really good. Sometimes I say to the players we have to play good to lift our (home) fans, to let the opponent feel that here is not a nice place to come. ‘But today we didn’t need to make a good performance or good actions to do that.’ Newcastle boss Eddie Howe believes that his club need evolution, not revolution, to bridge the gap to City and Liverpool. ‘It’s a huge gap,’ Howe admitted. ‘We have to try and close that. We’re looking to improve in every transfer window but it’s got to be small, gradual steps.’