Guardiola hopeful of speedy De Bruyne return

Pep Guardiola says he doesn’t expect to be without Kevin De Bruyne for too long.

The Belgian playmaker went off at half-time of last week’s Champions League draw with Inter before missing out on Sunday’s clash with Arsenal.

City now head into another busy week, with Watford in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening before we travel to Newcastle United this coming Saturday.

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Guardiola would not be drawn on exactly how long his talismanic midfielder will be unavailable, but isn’t too concerned about a lengthy absence.

“I don’t think it will be long,” he said on Sunday after our 2-2 thriller with Arsenal.

“I cannot say how long for, I don’t know for Newcastle but it won’t be long. [He has] discomfort in his legs.”

WATCH: City 2-2 Arsenal: Brief match highlights

City needed a stoppage time equaliser to earn a point from that match with Arsenal, despite being on top for most of the piece.

Erling Haaland opened the scoring with his 100th strike in a City shirt before Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel turned it around.

Leandro Trossard was sent off on the stroke of half-time and City spent the second period camped on the edge of our opponents’ box.

Eventually we found a second through John Stones, after 10-man Arsenal had done all they could to take as much time as possible out of the game.

It’s a tactic City are used to coming up against after almost a decade of imperious form at the Etihad and Guardiola says he keeps his instructions simple in such cases.

“Focus on the game,” he began.

“Defend yourself and focus on the game. We try to do what we have done for many years.

“I know what the opponent is going to do and tactically we have to focus on what we want to do. Don’t go away from what is really important. We are an honest team and that’s all.

“There are things I cannot control. The rest, listen, I am not there.

“We have to be calm and give rhythm to the game. We have to understand it, stay in the game. We did it really well.”