Man City get Savinho injury boost but Pep Guardiola gives cryptic team news update on four players

Savinho has not suffered an ankle fracture and could even be available for Manchester City's Premier League trip to Bournemouth.

Pep Guardiola is battling an unprecedented injury crisis at the Etihad, and saw City lose at Tottenham in the Carabao Cup this week already missing six players. They left North London with at least two more concerns after Manu Akanji withdrew from the starting line up minutes before kick-off and Savinho was stretchered off during the contest.

Guardiola then suggested that Ruben Dias is struggling with an unidentified problem - he was replaced at half-time - while Josko Gvardiol was seen getting treatment on the pitch at full-time.

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But Guardiola has confirmed Savinho's issue is not as bad as first feared and he will be assessed ahead of a potential inclusion at Bournemouth.

"Tomorrow you will see. I have many doubts," Guardiola said, while often referring to 'eight or nine' players missing. "Most of them half-half. Tomorrow you will know. I talk with some players, how they feel."

On Savinho, he said: "It was a knock. A strong one. Not a fracture."

By implication, that means Akanji, Gvardiol and Dias could play at Bournemouth, while Guardiola also said he will use youngsters if needed.

"We use [academy players] because we're in an emergency in certain positions," he said. "Some of them we trust like in the past. That's why the academy is there. We don't have another option.

"It is what it is, at many clubs it happens. We are not the only club with injuries. A lot in certain departments. I said many times, don't feel sorry for ourselves. The challenge is that. We'll play with 11 players tomorrow."

Guardiola had previous said that his other missing players remain out until after the international break. Kevin De Bruyne (groin), Kyle Walker (knee), Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku are still unable to return this week. After the long journey back from Bournemouth, City fly to Portugal for the Champions League, before another South Coast away fixture at Brighton next Saturday.