Pep Guardiola issues worrying Kevin De Bruyne update as Liverpool gets double title boost

Pep Guardiola concedes that he's unsure when Kevin De Bruyne will be back in action for after his injury layoff.

The hinted at more than a minor hiccup, considering it's been over a month since the Belgian midfielder suffered a thigh injury against Inter Milan. Despite being spotted on the training ground, De Bruyne's return to match play is still up in the air.

With welcoming City at Anfield in just five weeks' time on December 1, fans are left speculating if De Bruyne, who has already missed six fixtures,

The City boss stressed the importance of De Bruyne being absolutely ready before making his comeback, realizing that at 33, his player needs to be on tip of his game to contribute like usual. "It's not a big issue but he doesn't feel completely fine and Kevin is not 22 years-old anymore," said Guardiola.

"He has to be fit completely for his football. He has to be completely comfortable or he cannot express his potential."

Meanwhile, Kyle Walker is sidelined after picking up a knee problem while on international duty with England. Having sat out the Wolves clash last weekend, the defender is also expected to miss out on European competition. Regarding how long Walker might be missing, Guardiola simply stated: "I don't know."

As for the Reds, following a clash with Chelsea's Tosin Adarabioyo last Sunday. The Portuguese star was subbed off for Darwin Nunez and subsequently missed the open training session at the AXA Training Ground this week.

Federico Chiesa continues to be absent from the pitch, having missed victories over Bologna, Crystal Palace and Chelsea. Conor Bradley is also on the injury list and is anticipated to be out of action for a few weeks.

Harvey Elliott is still recovering from a broken foot he suffered in September, while Alisson Becker is out for a longer period due to a hamstring issue. Despite worries about Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alexis Mac Allister after the triumph over Chelsea, both players were seen training on Tuesday, gearing up for the European showdown on Wednesday night.