Dias’ injury is the most recent setback in Manchester City’s disastrous run

Manager Pep Guardiola announced on Friday that Manchester City would be missing defender Ruben Dias for three to four weeks due to a muscle injury. This is another setback for the reeling champions, whose chances of retaining the Premier League title are fading.

On Saturday, City will go to Aston Villa in an attempt to turn things around after suffering the worst run of results in Guardiola’s managerial history, which has left them in fifth place in the league standings. Additionally, they have only won one of their last 11 games in all competitions.

Dias sustained an injury during Sunday’s devastating 2-1 derby loss to Manchester United for City.

“He felt something after 75 minutes against Manchester United, which was a muscular issue. Guardiola told reporters Friday, “He is so strong, and he stayed on the pitch and now he is injured.”

However, after sustaining an injury early this month, fellow defender Manuel Akanji resumed training this week, “which is good for us,” Guardiola stated.

After taking the lead in the 88th minute, City’s cross-town rivals scored two goals in less than two minutes, causing them to lose to United in spectacular manner last weekend.

In a lengthy and emotional post-game press conference, Guardiola appeared distraught and blamed himself directly for the unexpected run, telling reporters, “I am not good enough.”
By Friday he was in a better mood.

“We were on the verge of winning a game that I just concluded, but we lost. “I wasn’t happy with the sequences that happened,” Guardiola remarked. “I made an effort to be honest with myself here at this moment six or seven days ago, but you have to get back up after falling six times.

“I’m all right. Like everyone else, I am a regular person with feelings. We are better when things are going well professionally, and we are more (focused) on our tasks when things are not going well.

With a win at Villa Park on Saturday, Aston Villa would move up to overtake City in the league standings, trailing Guardiola’s team by just two points and two spots.

In their Champions League campaign, Unai Emery’s club has also fared much better than City; with two games remaining in the league phase, they are now in fifth place, while City is mired in 22nd.

“I’m not shocked. Outstanding manager. They qualified for the Champions League (they had good success), and their performance there speaks for itself,” Guardiola remarked. “They are handling it well because when I have been in many clubs handling both competitions, they have done really well.”

Just over a year ago, City fell 1-0 at Villa Park, but they bounced back to beat Emery’s team 4-1 in early April. But according to Guardiola, he didn’t learn anything from those matches.

The Spaniard asked, “Why do you have to compare what happened?” “The past is the past, this is a new moment, you have to deal with it.”