Pep Guardiola offered a report on Manchester City trio Kyle Walker, John Stones and Nathan Ake after Sunday’s goalless draw with Arsenal.
Walker didn't play in the match at the Etihad and John Stones was only considered fit enough to be a substitute.
Both defenders got injured while playing for England during the international break with Walker getting a hamstring injury in the defeat to Brazil last Saturday.
Stones, who played the entire 90 minutes in that game, started again midweek against Belgium but was forced off after nine minutes with a muscle injury.
Guardiola chose a back four of Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, and Josko Gvardiol against the Gunners but Ake had to leave the field after 27 minutes with Rico Lewis coming on to replace him.
The City manager, who still didn't have their first-choice goalkeeper Ederson on Sunday afternoon, indicated that the initial assessment of Ake’s injury was not positive.
Also updating on Stones and Walker, Guardiola said to Sky Sports: ‘It is what it is,’ he told Sky Sports.
‘[He] played two games this week [including] with the national team in Holland. John will be better soon, I think. Kyle will take longer, and now Nathan will take longer.
‘Rico played exceptionally well and we have other guys. We will manage with the players that we have.’
Liverpool started Sunday’s games with a 2-1 win over Brighton with Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah scoring after Danny Welbeck’s surprising opener.
The victory for the Reds and the goalless draw at the Etihad leaves Liverpool two points ahead at the top with nine games left in the season, with Arsenal one point ahead of City in second place.
When asked if Liverpool are now the favorites to win the title, Guardiola said: ‘They are in first place. They are leading the league so that's how it is.
‘There are still nine games to go so we will see what happens.’
