Manchester City will be without Kevin De Bruyne for the game against Newcastle as Rodri has to undergo cruciate ligament surgery

Manchester City will be without Kevin De Bruyne against Newcastle United on Saturday.

De Bruyne missed last Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal due to an injury sustained against Inter Milan and was also left out of the heavily rotated squad that beat Watford in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.

Coach Pep Guardiola also confirmed on Friday that midfielder Rodri has undergone surgery for an anterior cruciate ligament injury in his right knee and is not expected to return for another nine months. City confirmed earlier this week that Rodri had suffered a ligament injury during Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal.

“No,” Guardiola replied when asked if De Bruyne would return to St James’ Park. “Maybe before the international break.”

Rodri underwent surgery for his injury in Madrid on Friday (Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Of Rodri, Guardiola said: “He had surgery on his cruciate ligament and some meniscus this morning and next season he will be here – this season is over.”

“We got the worst (news), but it is what it is. Unfortunately, this is what happens at this level. We are there to support him and hope that he recovers step by step and moves forward.”

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He continued: “If you have a cruciate ligament injury for nine months, you are sure to have muscle problems the following year. I think Rodri won’t be at his best for nine months, but it is what it is: as a club we will find a solution.”

Asked whether City would seek a move in the January transfer window, Guardiola added: “We’ll see. We spoke to Txiki (Begiristain, the city’s football director) today, we’ll see what’s going on. We don’t have to decide tomorrow, do we? We have time to recognize the potential problems we will have and after that we will see.”

Following the Newcastle game, City travel to Slovakia on Tuesday to face Slovan Bratislava before hosting Fulham in the Premier League next Saturday in the final game before the October international break.

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(Top photo: Michael Regan/Getty Images)