Pep Guardiola admits to defensive selection headache ahead of Manchester derby

Pep Guardiola is mulling over how best to cope with Manchester City’s defensive problems for Sunday’s derby at the Etihad.

Guardiola expects to have only three available defenders in Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol, with Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake and John Stones injured and Rico Lewis suspended following his red card in last weekend’s draw with Crystal Palace.

Akanji is the latest player to have joined the injury list after coming off at half-time against Nottingham Forest earlier this month with what Guardiola revealed is an abdominal issue.

“Manu is a strong player and so reliable but in that moment he cannot be that,” said the City boss.

“I don’t know what I have to do. I need players. We will see what happens today and tomorrow, the players we have. Maybe some winger has to play as a full-back or Matheus (Nunes) maybe can play as a full-back, or maybe play with five at the back when wing-backs are wingers.”

Wednesday’s 2-0 Champions League defeat by Juventus made it seven losses and only one victory from City’s last 10 games.

“The soul and the spirit of this team is there,” said Guardiola, who is also without Rodri and Oscar Bobb.

“We are sad, I’m sad for the players because the way they run and they fight with the circumstances they have. Our fans, maybe they are sad, I understand completely because maybe we lose seven games, eight games in one season or in two seasons, and now a month and a half.

“But they know this group of players have made an era that no-one has done. The numbers and records, now negative ones but the positive ones, I encourage them (the fans) to support them until the end because they deserve it.

“It made me reflect that maybe with this calendar you need a squad with 25, 30 players.