De Bruyne to miss derby clash due to injury- Guardiola

Another 19-year-old player, Aleix Garcia, is set to play in central midfield as Kevin De Bruyne is out with a calf injury.

“But I think it’s positive to have some sort of maturity in the team, to recognise we need to move forward, but to have a positive spirit and, as I said, these kind of results sometimes give you something extra and that’s what we need to get out of it”.

De Bruyne said the Spaniard has made it clear there was no place at the club for players who can not adjust. “Hopefully West Brom but he is doubt even for the weekend”, Guardiola told reporters on Tuesday.

Also expected to be out for the latest derby showdown is Pablo Zabaleta and captain Vincent Kompany, with the Spanish manager reluctant to risk the pair for the clash in midweek.

“Everyone thinks those guys want attention, but they are human beings as well and need private time for their family and themselves”.

“But to support them when they lost 4-0 is not easy and that’s what I’m happy for them that we won”.

The Red Devils were thoroughly out-played at Stamford Bridge as Antonio Conte’s men secured a thumping victory and boosted their Premier League title hopes.

According to the former Premier League victor, United’s defensive organisation was terribly poor and they also posed no threat going forward in attack.

“A derby is a derby”, he said.

If you want to cut the emotions, we can stay at home and I will change jobs.

“It’s a special game. Push the players to win”. Some of them who didn’t play are going to play for sure, first because they deserve it and second because it was tough in last games. “He just wanted the crowd to praise the team because they were winning, and for what they had done in the game”.

“Against Southampton the people [players] were exhausted”.

But City have gone off the boil since, Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Southampton leaving them without a win in five games, while United crashed to a crushing 4-0 defeat at Mourinho’s former club Chelsea.

“With the quality and experience of Jose (Mourinho) and it is “Man Utd” – that means a lot”.

“But Mkhitaryan is a super football player and he will be given a lot of opportunities this season”. It’s nice to play against good players because they are the games that you can bring out the maximum of yourself. It’s always hard. That’s nice. This type of game, against a very strong team like Manchester United, increases our confidence about our work.

Now we must continue because this is the right way but for me United is in the past.