Pep Guardiola is set to be without two of his stars against Newcastle United this weekend. Tough tackling centre-back Manuel Akanji, who limped out of the 3-2 defeat against Real Madrid in the Champions League, will be missing while Jack Grealish is also a big doubt. The Citizens are also without Nathan Ake, Oscar Bobb and long-term treatment room victim Rodri.

Guardiola, speaking ahead of the crunch test, confirmed Jack Grealish was a major doubt and said: "Manuel will have surgery on Saturday and eight-10 weeks out. It's an adductor injury. I just wish him a speedy recovery because the effort he has put in this season has been unbelievable. He and Nathan [Ake] have played in difficult positions.

"There has been a lack of players in that position and his body has said enough is enough. I don’t know if Jack will be ready tomorrow, I don't think he will be, but we will assess him in the next hours."

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Newcastle held Man City to a 1-1 draw earlier this season and go into this clash locked on 41 points in the Premier League. When praising the Magpies, Guardiola was particularly warm about Bruno Guimaraes.

He said: "A lot of threats, positive things, and Bruno is one of them. He has been playing at a high level for two, three or four seasons now, since he arrived from France. He continues to play in a more advanced position; before, he was more of a defensive midfielder, and now he is coming forward more. They have the physicality, the pace, the long balls, the set pieces, the experience, they’re a solid team."

Guardiola offered Newcastle his congratulations for reaching the Carabao Cup final at Wembley with the clash against Liverpool ahead next month. But he said that United's lack of European football this season had undoubtedly helped them.

The ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich chief said: "Of course, congratulations to them for the League Cup final, but part of that is playing one game a week, not playing in Europe, and when that happens, they’re incredibly dangerous. We saw the year Newcastle only played in the Premier League, not playing in Europe, qualified for the Champions League.

"The year they qualified, they had a lot of injuries, they didn’t qualify the following season and they will be a contender for the top four, top five by the end."

After suffering 12 defeats in all competitions this season and letting another lead slip against Real Madrid, Guardiola was asked to sum up his own side's problems. He said: "It’s not one subject; if it was, then it would be easy to solve it. We have always been so comfortable with the ball and we are now not so. You then have to rely on a physical presence and our physicality is not like other teams. Every time that we get a result, the mood is better in everyone, but this season has been like it has been, and we have to try to get results more often."