Kevin De Bruyne’s latest injury has come at an inopportune time for Manchester City, making him a major doubt for their crucial Premier League clash against Arsenal on Sunday. The 33-year-old midfielder suffered a suspected groin injury just before half-time during City’s goalless Champions League opener against Inter Milan on Wednesday. After receiving treatment, De Bruyne was withdrawn from the game, raising concerns about his availability for the weekend.
Pep Guardiola stated it was too early to fully assess the severity of the injury but hinted that the club may not risk playing De Bruyne to avoid a longer-term setback. Given the tight schedule and the significance of the title race, City’s priority will be ensuring their star midfielder is fully fit before returning to action.
Ilkay Gundogan, who replaced De Bruyne against Inter, is expected to start in his place on Sunday, with Phil Foden also in contention after returning from illness. Foden, often seen as De Bruyne’s natural successor, may take on a more central role should the Belgian miss out. De Bruyne himself has previously praised Foden’s versatility and potential, predicting a future in a central position for the young Englishman.
“I think he [Foden] will end up centrally,” De Bruyne told Sky Sports in an earlier interview. “I have seen Phil from the beginning and he was always a number 10. It’s hard to understand everything you need to do in a Pep [Guardiola] team, but Phil has gone up another level this year.”
De Bruyne, who is in the final year of his contract with Manchester City, continues to attract interest from the Saudi Pro League. However, for now, City’s focus is on navigating a potential absence in their title showdown against Arsenal, as they look to maintain their edge in the Premier League race.