Kevin De Bruyne is set for a five-to-six-week spell on sidelines after suffering another knee ligament injury with Manchester City.
De Bruyne, who only recently returned from a two-month lay-off with knee ligament damage, was substituted during City's EFL Cup win over Fulham on Thursday night.
The two injuries are unrelated. Whereas the Belgian injured his right knee in August, Thursday's damage was to his left. On this occasion, De Bruyne does not require surgery.
De Bruyne will now miss at least seven games, including the Manchester derby on 11 November, and is in a race to return in time for City's trip to Chelsea on 8 December.
The 27-year-old left the pitch as an 86th-minute substitute after colliding with Fulham full-back Timothy Fosu-Mensah.
City’s medical staff immediately advised De Bruyne to come off and the 27-year-old was assessed by Pep Guardiola’s medical staff after the final whistle.
Guardiola could not expand on the severity of De Bruyne’s injury in his post-match press conference but said he hoped it was not serious.
The City manager is expected to address De Bruyne’s condition at his press conference on Friday afternoon.
