Man City rocked as Ruben Dias ruled out of Carabao Cup final
Manchester City were dealt a significant setback ahead of the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal, with Ruben Dias missing out due to injury as the game began at Wembley.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL CAUGHTOFFSIDE APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAY
The absence of the Portuguese centre-back immediately raised questions about Pep Guardiola’s defensive options, particularly against an Arsenal side arriving with pace and attacking fluidity.
What happened to Ruben Dias before the final?
According to Sam Lee of The Athletic, the issue stems from a hamstring problem suffered earlier in the week.
“Manchester City centre-back Ruben Dias will miss the Carabao Cup Final due to a hamstring injury.
The 28-year-old came off at half-time during the 2-1 defeat against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, having been an unused substitute in the Premier League draw away to West Ham at the weekend.
Dias missed eight games at the beginning of this year with a hamstring injury, returning in early February. And he has not been called up by Portugal manager Roberto Martinez for their upcoming friendlies against Mexico and the USA.
City will already be without starting centre-back Marc Guehi. The 25-year-old, who joined City in January, has already played for former club Crystal Palace in the competition and is cup-tied.
Pep Guardiola is also without fellow defender Josko Gvardiol, who is still recovering from the broken leg he suffered in January.”
The 28-year-old’s latest setback continues a frustrating run of fitness issues this calendar year, with the Portugal international already having missed a spell earlier in the campaign with a similar problem.
Man City forced into defensive reshuffle vs Arsenal
Dias’ absence left Guardiola short of trusted options in central defence, forcing a reshuffle at the back for one of the biggest matches of the season.
When Manchester City’s line up to take on Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final was confirmed, with Phil Foden only on the bench, while Erling Haaland and Rodri started at Wembley, it underlined the strength elsewhere in the side despite the defensive concerns.
Still, not so long ago it would have been unthinkable for a big name like Foden to be benched for a huge match like this, though the bigger talking point remains their missing No.3 at the heart of defence.
Arsenal, for their part, were also without key duo Eberechi Eze and Jurrien Timber, though Mikel Arteta still named a competitive XI as his side looked to capitalise on City’s weakened back line.
With the first trophy of the season on the line, Dias’ absence ultimately shaped the tactical battle from the outset, leaving City more vulnerable than usual in high-stakes moments.
The post Man City rocked as Ruben Dias ruled out of Carabao Cup final appeared first on CaughtOffside.