Pep Guardiola says Nathan Ake will be out injured "for a long time" after being forced out of Manchester City's FA Cup win over Plymouth Argyle.
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Article continues below
Article continues below
- Ake limps off against Plymouth
- Man City's defensive issues grow
- Guardiola issues update on Dutchman
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Dutch defender Ake started in his side's 3-1 win over Plymouth on Saturday but he did not return for the second half, with Ruben Dias replacing him. After the fifth-round FA Cup victory, manager Guardiola said they will "miss" Ake, while being grateful the club signed defenders Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov in January – else they would be short in their backline.
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WHAT PEP GUARDIOLA SAID
He told reporters: "Now again we have a central defender out for a long time, I think we'll miss Nathan. I'm so grateful to the club to bring [Abdukodir] Khusanov and Vitor [Reis] otherwise we have no chance to qualify for the Champions League next season or fight for the FA Cup. Impossible! We would just have [Ruben] Dias."
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
City are currently without centre-backs John Stones and Manuel Akanji due to injury, and talismanic midfielder Rodri has been sidelined for months with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. To lose Ake as well is a big blow in their bid to win the FA Cup and to qualify for next season's Champions League.
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WHAT NEXT?
City will hope their new backline will be fit and firing when they travel to Nottingham Forest next Saturday in the Premier League.