How many games will Ruben Dias miss? Man City dealt big blow with defender nursing World Cup hamstring injury

• Defender picked up knock at Qatar 2022
• Thigh problem keeping him out of action
• Big games approaching in January

WHAT HAPPENED? According to the Daily Mail, the Portugal international defender picked up a thigh problem during a last-16 clash with Switzerland in Qatar, but played another 90 minutes for his country after that in the quarter-final defeat to Morocco. Dias has not trained with City since returning to England, with Guardiola confirming after a 3-2 Carabao Cup fourth round victory over Liverpool that the commanding 25-year-old centre-half has been ruled out of his immediate plans.

WHAT THEY SAID: Guardiola said when offering a fitness update on his squad: “Ruben Dias is injured and Kalvin Phillips is not fit. [Kalvin] is not ready and Ruben has had hamstring injury from the last game of the World Cup and is out.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Dias could be missing for around three weeks, ruling him out of City’s next five games, which will see them face Leeds, Everton, Chelsea in a Premier League and FA Cup double-header and Southampton.

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WHAT NEXT? If Dias can be nursed back to full fitness by the time that run of fixtures is completed, then he could come back into contention for a derby date with Manchester United at Old Trafford on January 14.