“It’s his knee, he might be out until September” – Guardiola reveals injury blow for Manchester City ahead of Liverpool clash

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola confirmed that Aymeric Laporte has suffered a long-term knee injury and will not be available for the Community Shield tie against Liverpool on Saturday.

The Sky Blues are scheduled to play against the Reds in the FA Community Shield. The match will take place at the King Power Stadium in Leicester, home of the current holders, Leicester City.

Aymeric Laporte picked up a knee injury in the 5-1 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers in May last season. He participated in the final two games of the campaign but has been confirmed to require surgery.

The 28-year-old defender had surgery on his knee after the final game of last season, according to his manager, Pep Guardiola.

Speaking at a pre-match conference ahead of the tie against Liverpool, Pep claimed that Laporte could be expected to be out until September:

“Laporte is injured. He had surgery after the last few games [of last season], he made an incredible effort. He had surgery, he's doing incredibly well, you have to do careful. It's his knee, he might be out until September.”

The defender had confirmed back in May that he needed further treatment on his knee in order to recover for the new season. The Frenchman played in 44 games across all competitions last season and scored four times for his team.

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Manchester City set to kick off new season with blockbuster tie against Liverpool

Pep Guardiola will be fairly optimistic about his chances of starting the season with a trophy. The domestic champions have improved their squad considerably in the current window and will be looking to challenge on all fronts again next season. Manchester City are currently engaged in negotiations for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Marc Cucurella.

The left-back is considered the final piece of the puzzle by many and will add much-needed depth to the left side of the defense. Of course, City’s biggest signing this summer has been that of Erling Haaland.

Haaland is one of the few players in world football who is expected to win a Ballon d’Or in the coming years. The striker is the perfect modern footballer and has all the skills necessary to set the Premier League on fire.

Haaland is bound to thrive on the kind of high-quality service that City’s midfielders and wingers are capable of producing for fun. The former Borussia Dortmund striker scored 85 times and provided 22 assists in just 88 matches during his time with the Bundesliga club.

Of course, much of what Manchester City are able to do this season will also depend upon the fitness of their biggest stars. While Laporte’s absence can be an issue against Liverpool, Guardiola has plenty of options to choose from.

The likes of John Stones and Nathan Ake are both more than capable of starting alongside Ruben Dias.