Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany out of Liverpool game with calf injury

Vincent Kompany has been ruled out of Manchester City’s match against Liverpool with a calf problem, an injury that will revive concern about the captain’s long-term availability.
Kompany suffered the knock in Belgium’s 9-0 victory over Gibraltar during the international break. It brings an end to the 31-year-old’s run of 11 consecutive appearances, the longest for three years due to his serial injuries.
Kompany’s unavailability exposes Guardiola’s lack of depth at centre-back as he now has only two frontline operators in the position, Nicolás Otamendi and John Stones. In the summer window, Guardiola targeted Virgil van Dijk, then Jonny Evans but failed to sign either centre-half.
“I do not think he will be available tomorrow,” Guardiola said of Kompany. “I am sad. The last seven eight, nine games last season he played no problem. Pre-season, we took care of him and he played all three games. Now, unfortunately, we’ve lost him, but we will try and get him fit as soon as possible.”
Regarding failing to strengthen in the position. “The window is over. We thought we might need another one but we have [Eliaquim] Mangala, and Tosin [Adarabioyo] and other players who can play that position.”
In the window Raheem Sterling was proposed as part of a swap deal for Arsenal’s Alexis Sánchez. Yet Guardiola said: “Arsenal wanted to make a swap with Raheem. They talk to me and I said no chance. Zero chance.”
Guardiola did not rule out a return for Sánchez in the January window. “Sometimes deals happen, sometimes not. I don’t know what will happen in the winter time. He is an Arsenal player,” the 46-year-old said.

SOURCE : GUARDIAN SPORTS
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