Arsenal handed Premier League boost as key Man City star ‘will be out for a while’ with injury

Manchester City’s opening-day Premier League win at Burnley has come at a cost after manager Pep Guardiola admitted Kevin de Bruyne "will be out for a while" after sustaining a hamstring injury.

The influential midfielder was forced off after just 23 minutes during the comfortable 3-0 win over newly-promoted Burnley at Turf Moor.

Erling Haaland opened the scoring after just four minutes before adding a second before half time. Rodri wrapped up the points with a close-range finish with 15 minutes of normal time remaining.

It is the same injury which saw De Bruyne limp off during the Champions League final in May as City went on to clinch the treble with victory over Inter Milan.

“He was injured again unfortunately,” Guardiola told BBC Match of the Day. “It is the same place and position as the Champions League [final] and he will be out for a while.”

“He recovered well [after going off injured in the Champions League final] but now we’ve lost him again,” Guardiola told Sky Sports. “It’s time to reflect, to talk to the doctors about what happened with him.

“He has to relax and recover and come back. He was feeling really good and playing really good in the first minutes, but unfortunately now he’s injured again.”

De Bruyne has been a hugely-influential figure for City under Guardiola, providing 31 assists and scoring 10 goals as the Manchester club beat Arsenal to the title last season.

He featured for 30 minutes against Arsenal last weekend as the Gunners lifted the Community Shield with a penalty shootout victory.

Asked if he should have left De Bruyne out of the starting line-up against Burnley, Guardiola responded: “Maybe it was my mistake but when it’s an injury after 15 or 20 minutes then there’s something wrong. If it happens after 65 there’s fatigue of the muscle you can read that but in 10 or 15 minutes there’s something wrong.

“He’s down because he fought a lot. He had to come off in the final of the Champions League and he felt really good. I spoke with him, he told me ‘I feel perfect, I prefer to start’ and making 45 or 50 minutes was the idea so of course he’s disappointed but he’s strong and he will be back.”

City face Arsenal for the first time in the Premier League this season on October 7 at the Emirates Stadium with the reverse fixture to be played at the Etihad Stadium on March 30.