Why Ruben Dias and John Stones are not in Man City squad vs Burnley

John Stones and Ruben Dias have been ruled out of Manchester City's game at Burnley.

City get their Premier League title defence underway on Friday night against the newly promoted Clarets but are without two of their most important defenders.

It's understood that Dias is missing with concussion while Stones has picked up an injury that is as yet unspecified.

Pep Guardiola told Sky Sports: "In training the other day, John [Stones] made a pass to Dias, he went too early in his run. Ruben has a tough concussion and the protocol of the Premier League says you need seven days off and that’s why he’s not here today."

Despite being short of two of their best defenders, Guardiola has enough strength in depth to not hand Josko Gvardiol his debut. The centre-back arrived from RB Leipzig last weekend in a £77.5million deal but has been made to wait for his debut after being named on the bench.

It's a centre-back pairing of Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji in their stead while Kyle Walker and Rico Lewis man the full-back positions.

Gvardiol's fellow Croat Mateo Kovacic has also been named amongst the substitutes as he waits to make his competitive debut.

Phil Foden has earned a starting place after his excellent cameo off the bench in the Community Shield defeat to Arsenal while Kevin De Bruyne is also fit to start and captain the side. It was feared after the Champions League final that De Bruyne would miss the start of the season with a hamstring injury but he has recovered quicker than expected to start from the off.

Julian Alvarez is another slightly surprising starter in an attacking midfield role while Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Erling Haaland and Ederson round off the starting XI.