Man City head coach Pep Guardiola has said midfielder, Kevin De Bruyne may miss up to four months with a recurring hamstring injury which saw him substituted 23 minutes into Friday’s 3-0 win at Burnley.
It would be recalled, De Bruyne was forced off in the Champions League final last season with the same problem.
City boss Guardiola said on Tuesday: “We have to decide if it’s surgery or not surgery but he will be out for a few months. It will be decided in the next few days.
“Surgery is surgery. He will be out for three or four months.
“The injury for Kevin is a sore blow for us. But at the same time we have to look forward. The skills of Kevin are irreplaceable but it’s an opportunity for others and I’m sure they will take it.”
The game at Turf Moor was De Bruyne’s first start since he was forced off with another of what has become a series of recurring hamstring injuries against Inter Milan in last season’s Champions League final.
He missed most of City’s pre-season but came off the bench in their Community Shield defeat to Arsenal on August 6, providing the assist for Cole Palmer’s goal.
“Maybe [we shouldn’t have taken a chance to start him],” Guardiola told Sky Sports after the win at Burnley.
“But what happens in 15 minutes can be an injury in 60, 65, 70 when the fatigue comes in the legs, but we have an injury in 15 minutes.”