Manchester Metropolis suffered a serious setback forward of their Carabao Cup last towards Arsenal, with Ruben Dias lacking the opening sport at Wembley resulting from harm.
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The Portuguese centre-back’s absence instantly raised questions on Pep Guardiola’s defensive choices, particularly towards an Arsenal aspect arriving with velocity and attacking fluidity.
What occurred to Ruben Diaz earlier than the ultimate?
In keeping with The Athletic’s Sam Lee, the difficulty is because of a hamstring subject he suffered earlier this week.
“Manchester Metropolis centre-back Ruben Dias will miss the Carabao Cup last resulting from a hamstring harm.
The 28-year-old got here on as an alternative within the Premier League away sport towards West Ham on the weekend and was substituted at half-time in Tuesday’s 2-1 Champions League defeat to Actual Madrid.
Diaz missed eight video games with a hamstring harm earlier this yr, however returned in early February. He has additionally not been known as up by Portugal nationwide workforce coach Roberto Martínez for the upcoming pleasant match between Mexico and the US.
Metropolis will already be with out beginning centre-back Marc Gehi. The 25-year-old, who joined Metropolis in January, has already performed within the competitors for his former membership Crystal Palace, qualifying for the cup.
Pep Guardiola will even be with out fellow defender Josko Gvardiol, who remains to be recovering from a damaged foot he suffered in January. ”
The 28-year-old’s newest setback comes as he continues to be tormented by health points this yr, with the Portugal worldwide already lacking the beginning of the season with an analogous downside.
Man Metropolis have been compelled to reorganize their protection towards Arsenal
Dias’ absence leaves Guardiola with out dependable choices in central protection, forcing him to reshuffle his backline forward of one of many largest video games of the season.
When Manchester Metropolis’s squad for the Carabao Cup last towards Arsenal was confirmed, with Phil Foden solely on the bench and Erling Haaland and Rodri beginning at Wembley, the energy of the remainder of the squad was highlighted regardless of the defensive considerations.
But whereas it will have been unthinkable not too way back for a giant identify like Foden to be on the bench for such a giant sport, the larger speaking level stays the lacking quantity three on the coronary heart of the defence.
Arsenal have been additionally lacking the important thing duo of Eberechi Eze and Julian Timber, however supervisor Mikel Arteta nonetheless named a aggressive XI to make the most of Metropolis’s weakened backline.
With the primary trophy of the season on the road, Dias’ absence in the end dictated the tactical battle from the beginning, leaving Metropolis extra weak than ordinary in high-stakes conditions.
