Manchester City injury news: Pep Guardiola confirms key player "out for the next three games", with team set for reshuffle

Pep Guardiola confirmed that defender Abdukodir Khusanov is set to miss the next three games for the club due to an injury he picked up against Arsenal last Sunday.

City are set to take on Huddersfield Town in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, and many changes are expected to be made from the team that held the Gunners to a 1-1 stalemate.

The Citizens will be forced into changing their backline given defender Khusanov has been ruled out after he was forced off at half time against Arsenal.

Speaking to reporters, Guardiola said that the Uzbekistan international is set for a short period on the sidelines, saying: "“He will be out for the next three games I think."

The Spaniard also confirmed that he would be starting James Trafford in goal against Huddersfield in place of Gianluigi Donnarumma.

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How big of a blow is Khusanov's injury to Manchester City?

If Khusanov only misses three games, he will be absent against Huddersfield on Wednesday, Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday and Monaco in the Campions League on October 1.

City should be expected to win all three games regardless of the 21-year-old's injury, but he was vital to the club's excellent defensive display in the first half against Arsenal.

Khusanov played as a right-back, and his exceptional recovery pace has provided the Citizens with the speed they once had when Kyle Walker was still at the Etihad.

Dropping points against Burnley could be costly considering they are already eight points behind first-placed Liverpool.

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Who will Pep Guardiola start in defence?

Matheus Nunes has often been used on the right side of defence under Guardiola, though he is a natural midfielder and does not possess the same level of physicality as Khusanov.

If Nunes is selected, perhaps City will line up with Nathan Ake as a left-back in order to compensate for the Portuguese's occasional defensive lapses.

Ake is a natural centre-back but is fast and agile enough to be stationed out wide, and his defensive level is higher than many full-backs.

John Stones could come into central defence, which would allow Guardiola to position Josko Gvardiol on the left side of a back four, but it remains to be seen if the City boss would move him away from the middle of his four-man defence.