PAUL ELLIS/Getty Images Manchester City ’ s injury-affected temper has taken another dramatic turn with the news Kevin De Bruyne ’ s damaged knee ligaments will keep him out for up to 10 weeks. De Bruyne fell heavy under a challenge from Everton ’ south Ramiro Funes Mori on Wednesday, and he is set to face an extended menstruation on the sidelines.
It ’ randomness significant shock for director Manuel Pellegrini and means the belgian, signed from Wolfsburg in the summer for a club-record £54 million, will miss the League Cup final examination and both of City ’ s Champions League last-16 games with Dynamo Kiev. “ We knew after the game that it was a serious injury, ” Pellegrini told reporters on Friday. “ He will not be out for the whole season because it ‘s not a cruciate ligament, but we knew it was significant damage. “ We hope he can return before, but the first diagnosis is that he will be out for eight to 10 weeks. ”
PAUL ELLIS/Getty Images Replacing De Bruyne will be bully. He ’ south scored 12 goals and assisted 12 more since arrive in August—a remarkable return for a 24-year-old with limited experience of English football .Video Play Button
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His last appearance, as a substitute in Wednesday ’ s League Cup semi-final second leg with Everton, was indicative of his temper to date. He scored the finish that levelled the tie—an acute finish up from inside the area—before delivering a pinpoint musket ball into the area that saw Sergio Aguero send City to Wembley. His introduction was key in turning the link and keeping City on course for four trophies. It felt like a seismic here and now for the team, the kind that could be the catalyst for improved imprint. City ’ s results have been slightly erratic—a place in a major final is just what they needed. News of De Bruyne ’ sulfur injury has tempered some of the optimism created by that dramatic succeed, but City have the team the header if Aguero can remain fit for the end of the season.
In David Silva, Yaya Toure, Jesus Navas and Raheem Sterling, City have players who are adaptable and offer attacking options. At the beginning of the campaign, City went on a rivulet of five straight wins without conceding a finish, playing a organization that saw Sterling on the leftover and Navas on the veracious. Although neither offers the same bent of providing goals and assists De Bruyne does, there was a balance to the side and enough of tempo to stretch defences. Pellegrini said he feels he has other authoritative players who can cover in the former Chelsea man ‘s absence. “ It ‘s very authoritative for the clubhouse not to play with Kevin, but as I ‘ve said, we ‘ve had very crucial players that ca n’t play through the whole season for unlike reasons—David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany, ” he said. “ We must continue playing with the unharmed police squad if we want to be a competitive team. It is one significant player less, but we must continue with the lapp optimism and more province for the rest of the police squad. ” The fear would be where the number of goals City need to be competitive in major competitions would come from with De Bruyne, City ’ s second-top scorer, unavailable. Aguero is fit and back to his optimum degree. Goals feel guaranteed. His header on Wednesday that won the bind was superb. He bagged two at West Ham United and hit the post after a consequence of individual brilliance. His movement and pungency has returned. This is the Aguero who ‘s considered the best striker in Europe. He has 15 goals for the season. With him at his best, and with the cast of hold forwards behind him chipping in, City may equitable have enough to get by in De Bruyne ’ s absence. But another injury to Aguero would leave City urgently short-change of goalscoring power. never has the Argentinian ‘s fitness felt then important.
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Alex Livesey/Getty Images Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report ‘s star Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester establish throughout the 2015/16 season. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @ RobPollard_ .