Man City have extra concern for looming Liverpool showdown as Arsenal 'lose key man'

With every step forward, Manchester City are dealt another blow in the injury department.

Pep Guardiola challenged his City players to play through the pain before the trip to Bournemouth. All of a sudden, there was Kyle Walker, Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku at the Vitality Stadium - Walker started, Doku came off the bench, and De Bruyne wasn't risked.

But there was no Ruben Dias or John Stones, with five players still on the injury list and a number of fitness concerns. Nathan Ake and Manu Akanji probably wouldn't have played at Bournemouth if they weren't the only centre-back options. Guardiola says City are in an 'emergency' - and he must be wary of another issue that could keep some key men out of big games on the horizon.

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After City take on Sporting in the Champions League this week, they travel to Brighton in the Premier League. After the international break are two tricky games - at home to Tottenham and away at Liverpool, who overtook them to top the table this weekend.

That Anfield showdown looks significant, especially with both City and Liverpool pulling away from Arsenal slightly - and while City face difficult tests against Brighton and Spurs before it, Liverpool take on Aston Villa and Southampton.

City will hope for a much fitter squad in a month's time, and Guardiola said last week he wouldn't expect much transfer activity in January because most of his injured players will be back. But what he doesn't need is any enforced absences, such as suspensions.

Currently, City have three players who will have to watch their step in the coming weeks. With five yellow cards earning a one match suspension, it would be unhelpful if anyone missed the Liverpool game with a ban. At present, Ederson, Mateo Kovacic and Ruben Dias are on three yellow cards - so bookings in their next two games would see them miss Liverpool.

However, Dias is set to miss the Brighton trip with injury, while Ederson has gone three games without a booking after three yellows in consecutive games. For Liverpool, Alexis Mac Allister is on four yellow cards so would miss the City clash if he avoids the book this week but gets carded at Southampton.

City will want to take on Liverpool with as strong a squad as possible. With no Rodri or Oscar Bobb, and continuing doubts over Jack Grealish, they can't afford any further absences, particularly with Walker and De Bruyne not yet at full fitness.

Meanwhile, title rivals Arsenal are set to lose influential Sporting Director Edu according to widespread reports. He has been an influential part of the Gunners' recent success in challenging City for the title but is said to be leaving the Emirates for a job with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis and his group of clubs.

Arsenal have taken one point from their last three Premier League games to sit five points behind City and three behind Liverpool, slumping to fifth after defeat at Newcastle this weekend.