Pep Guardiola has explained why he left John Stones out of the Manchester City squad for their 2-0 defeat to Tottenham on Sunday.
The City manager revealed the England defender was not injured despite preferring to include teenager Eric Garcia on the bench for the game.
Stones has struggled to tie down a regular starting spot in the City first team, even with Aymeric Laporte's injury problems this season.
When asked why the former Everton centre-back was left out, Guardiola said: “No injury, I decided to bring Eric, Eric played so good when he played so I bring him."
Asked if Garcia was now ahead of Stones in the defensive pecking order, Guardiola added: “No, I move the team and the squad and try to keep everybody involved.”
With his Etihad future looking uncertain, Stones was linked with a move to Arsenal in the January transfer window amid the Gunners' search for reinforcements.
The defender is reportedly keen for regular first team football in order to secure his place in England's first team for Euro 2020, but Arsenal ended up signing Pablo Mari on loan from Flamengo.
Speaking before City's FA Cup third round win over Port Vale last month,Guardiola challenged Stones to fulfil his undoubted potential by staying fit.
"He has the conditions to do it. But to be the best central defender you have to play one entire season, every three days being there.
"It depends on him. It’s in his hands and in his head to become one of the best.
"It’s difficult to reach the potential that he has, he has to be at the level to play regularly. The last three-and-a-half seasons he couldn’t do it.
"It's difficult to know the reason why. Sometimes when you have a tough injury, for example like Aymeric Laporte this season, Ilkay Gundogan in the first season or Benjamin Mendy the first year he arrived, it’s unlucky.
"That can happen. But, in the case of John, I don’t know.
"I don’t know why he’s not able, why we’re not able, for him to be a regular for a long, long period, because he’s a young player.
"But he’s still young. As a player, he has his future in front of him."
