Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has had surgery on a hamstring injury that could keep him out of action for four months.
The Belgium international limped off 23 minutes into City’s 3-0 Premier League win at Burnley on August 11.
KDB has been Man City’s main creative outlet for many seasons now and was forming an excellent understanding with Erling Haaland.
However, Pep Guardiola believes De Bruyne’s injury has handed Cole Palmer a chance to step up:
“It’s not necessary to ask how good he is,” Guardiola said of Palmer. “You don’t need two goals in two finals to define how good he is.
“Cole in the previous season arrived in an extraordinary moment, he defined the game in the FA Cup and then had injuries. He couldn’t be there.
“Last season our players in midfield were KDB, who will be four or five months out, [Ilkay Gundogan] who isn’t here, we have to adjust a few things. We’re not at our best, or our top, it’s normal and we adjust a few things but the spirit is there.”
