SHAKHTAR V CITY Injured Stones hints at early City return
JOHN Stones is hoping to return in time for City’s Christmas fixtures.
The England international has been out with a hamstring injury since the win over Leicester last month, and early indications put him out until January.
The latest update sounds like Stones is progressing well, and could return before the Watford game on January 2. He told Skysports: “I’d like to be back out there for Christmas, but I think it might be just after that.”
City have been helped by Vincent Kompany’s return to fitness – the Belgian’s first game back was at Leicester when Stones hobbled off.
Guardiola will be impressed if his side can continue their winning ways without Stones in the team.
He said: “We don’t have a big squad. It is a big pity we lost a month-and-ahalf of Vincent Kompany (to injury) and now John Stones.
“To win the titles we need all the players, especially important players like John and Vinny. On the other side, we have an opportunity.
“We have to play 12 games in a short space of time with only three central defenders, one of them is a risk in Vincent only just back.
“We can see how we will react with the problems that we have and see how players play in positions that they are not used to playing.
“Always when you are champions you have to handle the bad situations and the tough situations. When everyone is good and comfortable, that is not a lot of credit. We’re going to see how we react in the most important moment of the season until Watford on the January 2.” YAYA Toure claims City have eclipsed Barcelona and Real Madrid as the finest attacking team in Europe.
Pep Guardiola’s side have torn through defences in the Premier League and the Champions League this season - winning their last 20 games in all competitions.
They head to Old Trafford on Sunday eight points clear at the top of the table and against Shakhtar Donetsk tonight they can make it six straight wins in Europe. And Toure believes not even Lionel Messi’s Barcelona or Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid can claim a better attack than City’s.
Now the Ivorian - who won the Champions League with Guardiola’s Barca in 2009 - is challenging his team-mates to do likewise. “I think we practice the best football in Europe when we go forward,” he said. “We need to play against a big opponent to see where we are. “To repeat what I did in 2009 with a different club would be something special.” While Guardiola insists City are still a work in progress particularly in Europe - Toure believes rivals across the continent are taking note of their stunning form. “I think it’s respect teams respect us more,” he said. “They feel the way we play and attack - all the teams respect City. “We are in a good moment, we are full of confidence. “It’s like when you are young, you always want to play. The way we control games and score goals is something fantastic.” Despite City’s success, Guardiola Yaya Toure refuses to compare his City side with former clubs Barca and Bayern Munich.
“We play differently (to Barca),” he said. “The principles are the same, but we are completely different with the players we have.
“They won 14 titles in four seasons, we haven’t won once here.
“We are still young enough, but we try to get better every day. In terms of results there is not a comparison to the other one. You can’t compare with Barca and Bayern. It’s a new history and a new path and we are trying to be good in this competition ourselves now.
“We are doing well, but that doesn’t mean you will achieve the title.
“In this competition one bad 45 minutes and you are out.
“I’m not concerned if we are playing the best football. The last month we were okay, stable, had more chances than our opponents and conceded less.
“We believe in what we do. But my opinion on what happens in the future, nothing changes. That is the thing I am proud of the most.”