During England’s Tuesday night friendly against Belgium at Wembley, John Stones suffered an injury that forced him to leave the field during the first half.
Early in the match, Stones was seen making several passes before being noticed holding his right leg.
With Manchester City set to face Arsenal in a crucial Premier League fixture on Sunday, Pep Guardiola is facing increased concerns ahead of the weekend.
The worry for Guardiola stems from Kyle Walker’s substitution during England’s loss to Brazil on Saturday.
Although Walker’s injury is reportedly not serious, concerns persist over the fitness of Manuel Akanji, who withdrew from Switzerland’s match against Ireland, as well as the absence of Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish from international duty.
Despite these concerns, both De Bruyne and Grealish are expected to recover in time for the weekend fixture.
Stones’ potential absence due to injury is particularly troubling given his previous spells on the sidelines this season. The 29-year-old defender is considered a key player for both Manchester City and the England national team.
As City’s players prepare to return to the club on Thursday ahead of the Arsenal match, Guardiola will use this time to assess the fitness of his squad.
Erling Haaland revealed that Guardiola had previously advised players to be cautious with their workload due to the demanding schedule ahead.
Guardiola also humorously warned them that he would “come after them” if they were to get injured this week.
