Pep Guardiola expects Jeremy Doku to miss at least three more games for Manchester City duty to injury.
The 23-year-old missed Manchester City’s 3-0 win at Crystal Palace on Sunday, with Guardiola saying he was out with a ‘leg’ injury.
The Belgian will not be back for the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Brentford on Wednesday and is unlikely to play again in 2025.
Speaking ahead of the clash with the Bees in midweek, Guardiola confirmed that John Stones and Rodri are also sidelined.
‘Jeremy and John are out, Rodri is out. The rest I think will be ready,’ he said at a press conference.
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‘I don’t know [how long Doku will be out]. Two or three weeks. Sunderland in the New Year maybe. We will see.’
Manchester City go to Sunderland on New Year’s Day in the Premier League, after a home game against West Ham on Saturday and a trip to Nottingham Forest a week later.
It is a blow for Guardiola in a very busy period of the calendar, which also sees Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri leave for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Marmoush is representing Egypt and Ait-Nouri playing for Algeria, neither of which being regular starts for Manchester City but would otherwise play their parts over the festive period.
The incredibly busy schedule continues into January, with Manchester City hosting Chelsea on January 4, Brighton three days later and Exeter City in the FA Cup another three days after that.
The City boss says fans can expect a much-changed team against Brentford on Wednesday, naming James Trafford as a start in goal and likely some academy players as well.
‘James is going to play and all the players that didn’t play recently are going to play and some from the academy because three days after that we have West Ham,’ he revealed.
‘I’m not saying it’s not the priority to get to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, but normally when we achieve it, it’s when we have all the squad, no injuries and we can rotate.
Jeremy Doku Premier League stats
Apps: 73
Goals: 7
Assists: 18
‘When you are one game away from the semi-finals, if you can take it, take it, because you never know when it’s coming back.
‘We lost Rayan and Omar. We have some injuries like John and Rodri. We’ll see but we want to get to the semi-finals.
‘Now we have less recovery, three days not four, of course the players that didn’t play recently are going to play and the academy so we will see.’
