Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that centre-back John Stones has picked up a knock and won’t be available for the game against Sevilla this evening.
The defender has joined Kyle Walker on the treatment table, with the right-back having sustained a muscular injury in the 1-1 draw against Aston Villa on Saturday.
Stones’ latest setback has, though, earned the ire of supporters on Twitter who are rather frustrated by the number of fitness issues the defender picks up:
Stones is always injured. He’s not reliable at all
— JO (@MCFC_JO) September 5, 2022
Stones is finished ffs
— Nam (@Waporte123) September 5, 2022
Stones should be sold too, his injury record is shocking…
— samet (@sgkicks29) September 5, 2022
Injured again ffs
— Joul (@CityJoul) September 5, 2022
What the hell happened to Stones now? Another injury? FFS, He was doing so good.
— be_kind (@smile_pleas3) September 5, 2022
our defenders are living in hospital whole their life, annoying..
— arda (@arsimet17) September 5, 2022
John Stones injured again?
— Thohoyandou 🇿🇦 🇧🇼 (@AlbaMokopane) September 5, 2022
Stones man, why our CB’s so messed up
— Mit (@MitPat_) September 5, 2022
Good job we bought akanji
— Al (@Ajt2995) September 5, 2022
Guardiola actually remarked on Stones’ struggles during the pre-match press conference yesterday. He claimed one of the main reasons why Manuel Akanji was signed from Borussia Dortmund was due to Stones and Nathan Ake’s chequered injury history.
Unlike Walker (who could be out until after the international break), Stones is not expected to be sidelined for too long and we shall see if he is in the squad for the match versus Tottenham this weekend.
