Arsenal handed early title boost with two Man City stars now injured for "few weeks"
Arsenal have been handed an early Premier League title boost as Manchester City could be without Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias for a ‘few weeks’.
The Gunners went six points clear of Aston Villa at the top of the table yesterday after a hard-fought 3-2 win over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
Man City, who started the day seven points behind, were on course to reduce the deficit to four.
They held onto a 1-0 lead against Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium until stoppage time, when midfielder Enzo Fernandez bagged a surprise equaliser.
Pep Guardiola’s side are six points adrift of the Gunners as a result, and they have now suffered a double injury blow on top of the disappointing draw.
Gvardiol had to be substituted early in the second half. Dias was likewise replaced in the 81st minute with an injury of his own.
Speaking after the game, Guardiola acknowledged that it does not look good and believes the centre-back duo will be on the sidelines for a ‘few weeks’.
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Apparently it doesn’t look good, we will see tomorrow. I think they will be on the sidelines for a few weeks.”
The Cityzens have relied heavily on Dias and Gvardiol in the heart of their defence this season, and their absence is a notable blow indeed.
John Stones is likewise on the sidelines at the moment. Abdukodir Khusanov and Nathan Ake could have a big role to play in the near future.
The pair have had limited minutes during the campaign, and it remains to be seen how the Mancunian giants fare over the next few weeks.
For Arsenal, they have been handed an early title boost, but must still concentrate on themselves and keep on winning to pile the pressure.
The Gunners face a tricky challenge against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday night. They will be eyeing their first win over the Reds since February 2024.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
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