Ruben Dias is facing a spell on the sidelines for Manchester City after returning from the World Cup with a hamstring injury.
Dias played every game for Portugal in the World Cup before their quarter-final exit to Morocco, but was absent as City resumed action against Liverpool on Thursday while his compatriots Bernardo Silva and Joao Cancelo both made the bench.
After City's 3-2 win, Pep Guardiola confirmed that Dias picked up a hamstring injury for Portugal and will be out of action for the next few games. Guardiola also said Kalvin Phillips missed the game for fitness reasons after being unable to train since returning from the World Cup.
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In Dias's place, Manuel Akanji and Aymeric Laporte started against Liverpool, with Nathan Ake at left-back. When Akanji appeared to come off second best from a tackle, England defender John Stones replaced him.
Explaining why Dias was out, as well as Phillips' omission, Guardiola said: "Ruben Dias is injured and Kalvin Phillips is not fit, he did not arrive in the best conditions to train. Ruben has a hamstring from the last game in the World Cup and he is out."
Dias completed 90 minutes four times at the World Cup, and was rested for Portugal's final group game against South Korea, before playing the whole of their two knockout games.
Phillips has only played four times for City since signing from Leeds in the summer, totalling just 53 minutes. However, after undergoing surgery to correct a shoulder injury, he made England's World Cup squad and played 40 minutes over two substitute appearances for his country.
However, Guardiola has now placed a question mark over his fitness with no timeframe set on when he will be available. Dias now looks set to miss City's festive fixtures against Leeds and Everton, before a busy new year run against Chelsea twice, Southampton, Manchester United and also a double-header against Tottenham in the first six weeks of 2023.
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