By Lori Ewing
MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has no idea when midfielder Kevin de Bruyne will return from injury he said on Friday, adding the Belgian will not feature in Saturday’s game against struggling Southampton.
The 33-year-old De Bruyne was injured against Inter Milan in the Champions League last month and has missed seven fixtures since.
“I don’t know,” Guardiola said, when asked when De Bruyne might return.
“Of course, I prefer to have all the squad, with the amount of games, but it is what it is. So hopefully come back soon. But I don’t know yet.”
De Bruyne missed five months last season after having hamstring surgery and Guardiola batted away questions about whether his current injury could be a long-term concern.
City will also be missing Kyle Walker, Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish when they look for a win that would put them provisionally top of the standings. Guardiola’s men have 20 points, one behind Liverpool after eight matches. Liverpool travel to third-placed Arsenal on Sunday.
Southampton have one point and are above only Wolverhampton Wanderers on goal difference.
City can also go two years unbeaten at the Etihad in the Premier League with a win on Saturday.
“It is really good,” Guardiola said. “We are consistent and if we weren’t, we wouldn’t have won the Premier League so many times. We do our job every single time.”
The Spaniard is confident Phil Foden is nearing last season’s level that saw him score 19 league goals after a rocky start to this campaign mainly due to illness. Foden scored inside three minutes in City’s 5-0 Champions League thrashing of Sparta Prague on Wednesday.
“I am not concerned at all because I know when he is fine he will get it. He is a natural, incredible talent who solves the game for himself,” Guardiola said.
“In a career you have these bumps, you just have to try to restrict them. Sooner or later it ends. I am glad to hear he feels good.”
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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