Pep Guardiola reveals fresh Kevin De Bruyne injury concern following Brentford win

Pep Guardiola has revealed a fresh injury concern to Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne after he was an unused substitute against Brentford on Tuesday evening.

The Blues were back to winning ways having dropped two points against Chelsea on the weekend, with Erling Haaland scoring the only goal of the game at the Etihad Stadium in midweek.

The Norwegian’s partner in crime – Kevin De Bruyne – did not make an appearance in the contest, however. The Belgian was named among the substitutes on the bench, but Pep Guardiola decided against bringing him into the game at various crucial moments.

Following the victory, the Catalan coach revealed that the 32-year-old midfielder had “niggles” in his hamstring but assured Manchester City supporters that he is “OK” despite what many are seeing as an injury scare.

Pep Guardiola admitted that he did not want to take any risks with Kevin De Bruyne, who spent around four months on the sidelines through a hamstring injury and subsequent surgery earlier in the season.

“He has niggles in his hamstring area and I didn’t want to take any risk with him,” Guardiola told the media after the game.

“He’s OK, he’s OK, it was more about prevention,” the Manchester City boss reassured. “He said he didn’t feel comfortable and the doctors said not to take a risk.”

This news will likely cause concern amongst the Manchester fanbase and within the squad itself, with everyone aware of the impact that Kevin De Bruyne has on the team when fit, as showcased by his outings in the last couple of weeks.

In the eight games the Belgium international playmaker has played since his return to the field for Manchester City, the midfielder has registered a staggering seven assists and scored two himself.

Thankfully for City, without the Belgian in the side, Erling Haaland was still able to net on Tuesday night with a smart finish to the ‘keeper’s right side. That now means that the Norwegian has scored against every single Premier League side that he has faced.

The 23-year-old received criticism for his performance against Chelsea on the weekend, where he was unusually lacklustre in front of goal. However, Pep Guardiola assured that he should not be doubted, especially amid difficulties in his personal life.

“Never, ever criticise your top scorer, he will shout you down!” Guardiola proclaimed. “Sooner or later he is there. Comes from two months out, had an incredible, tough week last week, he lost his grandmother.”