Manchester City’s midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is set to miss Sunday’s Premier League showdown against Arsenal due to injury.

De Bruyne sustained what appeared to be a groin issue during City’s 0-0 draw with Inter Milan in their Champions League opener at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.

The injury occurred late in the first half, forcing Pep Guardiola to substitute De Bruyne at halftime.

While Guardiola remained tight-lipped on the extent of the injury, telling reporters, “I’ll have more info on his condition on Thursday,” it seems unlikely that the Belgian will recover in time for the vital match against Arsenal. When asked directly if De Bruyne would be fit to face Arsenal, Guardiola simply replied, “We’ll see from tomorrow.”

Despite this setback, City defender Ruben Dias has warned Arsenal that his side will be more than prepared for whatever the Gunners bring to the Etihad on Sunday.

Reflecting on Arsenal’s previous visit, which ended in a 0-0 draw back in March, Dias acknowledged that Arsenal are title contenders but emphasised City’s readiness: “There’s no running away from them or hiding from them if you want to be the best team in this league. We want them to come, and we want to be the best.”

Josko Gvardiol, City’s summer signing, added that Guardiola will prepare the team with multiple tactical approaches depending on Arsenal’s setup. “I cannot tell you, I really don’t know how they will play. So we need to prepare in two or three ways, just to be sure,” Gvardiol explained.

This injury blow comes at a crucial time for Manchester City, as De Bruyne’s absence will undoubtedly be felt in such a key fixture. However, Guardiola has plenty of depth in his squad to adapt, with players like Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva likely to step up in De Bruyne’s absence.

City will also be without Nathan Ake and Oscar Bobb, both ruled out due to injuries.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are facing their own injury challenges, with Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, Kieran Tierney, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and possibly Oleksandr Zinchenko all out of Sunday’s clash.

As Arsenal head to the Etihad, they will be aiming to capitalise on City’s injury concerns and build on their solid defensive performance from their last visit.

However, even without De Bruyne, City’s strength and depth will make this a fiercely competitive match.