Guardiola won’t have ‘issue’ replacing the injured John Stones at Man City

In the interim, Manchester City must locate a substitute for the injured John Stones.

Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, was recently dealt a setback with the injury of the dependable John Stones. However, in an interview with GIVEMESPORT, Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth provided insight into why the Spaniard may have “many difficulties” in locating a stopgap replacement.

Following their illustrious treble-winning campaign in 2022/23, Guardiola and his talented squad can only progress. Guardiola’s imperious squad, who are currently atop the Premier League and have guaranteed a spot in the Champions League, will be eager to resume their fine form following the November international break.

In August 2016, when a nascent Stones player was valued at £47.5 million at the Etihad Stadium, initial apprehensions arose regarding his compatibility with the “Manchester City way” and, ultimately, the manner in which Guardiola would employ him in his innovative approach. The Yorkshireman had a shaky beginning to his time in Manchester, but experienced a remarkable comeback as he became an indispensable element in Guardiola’s winning machine.

Consistent in his side’s hat-trick of victories last season, the Englishman mastered the inverted full-back position and contributed significantly to the team’s offensive and defensive phases. Stones, who suffered a hip injury that sidelined him for the first seven domestic matches of 2023/24, sustained his second injury of the season during City’s routine 3-0 Champions League victory over Young Boys. Although the City manager implied that the 29-year-old’s issue was not as severe as initially believed, he expressed concern regarding his availability for their monumental Premier League match against Liverpool on November 25.

In the eight-goal affair against Chelsea, Manuel Akanji was assigned the ‘John Stones role’ but stated that he was significantly happier playing in defense. This will present a challenge for Guardiola and his squad to surmount. Sheth told GIVEMESPORT that a club of City’s stature would not be perturbed by such a dilemma. With the former Borussia Dortmund ace seemingly off the table as a potential stopgap replacement, the former Barcelona manager will be faced with the onerous task of finding a player with the technical prowess and capability to join Rodri in his side’s two-man engine room partnership.

When asked if Stones’ injury could impede City’s chances of winning the Premier League championship, Sheth responded that Guardiola possesses sufficient talent to ensure that City remains a formidable opponent. The Sky Sports reporter utilized their impressive start to domestic and continental competitions to demonstrate that they are capable of functioning without the England international. Sheth therefore believes that Guardiola and his retinue will have little difficulty replacing him until his return to action, despite the fact that this may be an annoyance for the rest of England’s premier league. He told GIVEMESPORT the following:

“[John Stones] is a brilliant and crucial performer. Constant to many activities that the city undertakes. However, are you truly concerned about Manchester City suffering an injury? Consider the current state of affairs that they find themselves in. They have, in fact, been eliminated from the League Cup. With two games remaining, they have already qualified for the Champions League in their division with four victories out of four. Due to injury, they have been without Kevin De Bruyne for the entire season. He is en route backwards. Jack Grealish is inconsistent with the team. He was indispensable to the team’s success last season, yet he is currently unable to contribute fully to the group’s standings in the Premier League. Indeed, they are there. Exactly at the peak.

“It does not appear that they will encounter an excessive number of obstacles when attempting to replace John Stones.” Moreover, he is undoubtedly indispensable, but they have a plethora of players who can perform that function with ease. During the warm-up, they suffered an injury to Manuel Akanji; in response, what action did Pep Guardiola take? “I had intended to rest Kyle Walker, but I’ll simply bring in a fully-fledged England international who has been a regular for my team.” Absolutely not a problem. “Aside from City, I do not anticipate any ominous or unfortunate complications for the remaining.”