Pep loses Kompany to calf injury
Pep Guardiola will be without captain Vincent Kompany for tonight's match against Liverpool.
The 31-year-old centre back, who has a long history of calf problems, suffered another calf injury after playing the full match of Belgium's 9-0 victory over Gibraltar in World Cup qualifying last week.
Said Guardiola: "He played with Belgium against Gibraltar. He had a little problem in his calf. I don't think he will be fit tomorrow. It's not major.
"I'm sad - I would like him to be fit. He made a huge effort.
"Our physios worked a lot to take care of him so the last seven, eight, nine games of last season he played without a problem.
"In pre-season, he played 90 minutes for three games - no problem at all.
"Now we start the period where we play every three days and unfortunately we lost him.
"We have (Eliaquim) Mangala, we have Tosin (Adarabioyo), so we have other options."
The Spanish manager also did not rule out a pursuit of Alexis Sanchez in the January transfer window.
The Gunners had attempted to swop Sanchez with Raheem Sterling during last month's transfer window, but it came to naught.
Said Guardiola: "When we started to speak with Arsenal in the last days, they wanted to make a swop with Raz.
"They talked to me and I said 'No chance. Zero chance'. Not one per cent chance we will swop Raz because I trust a lot in him.
"Twenty-two years old, English player, there is a lot of room to improve.
"The only deal we would do was cash. In the end, Alexis stayed in Arsenal."
When asked if City would bid for Sanchez again in January, Guardiola replied: "I don't know what will happen in the winter. Sometimes deals work, sometimes not."
Guardiola will also be without Sterling tonight.
The winger was sent off after scoring an injury-time winner in the 2-1 victory over Bournemouth.
His celebrations, as he jumped into the City supporters, earned him a second yellow card. - WIRE SERVICES
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