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Guardiola fears Laporte could be out 'for a while' with knee injury

LINDSEY PARNABY / AFP / Getty

Manchester City could be without pivotal defender Aymeric Laporte for the foreseeable future.

The Frenchman was stretchered off with a right knee problem after colliding with Adam Webster during the opening half of Saturday's 4-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion.

Pep Guardiola said the 25-year-old, who had just received a call-up to France's international squad, was taken to the hospital after the contest. The gaffer didn't seem optimistic about the severity of Laporte's ailment.

"It doesn't look good," the City tactician told reporters. "I don't know right now what he has but we will know tomorrow. They're diagnosing what he has right now. ... He might be out for a while."

Laporte's injury leaves Nicolas Otamendi as City's only fit senior center-back. John Stones has dealt with a muscular issue to start the season, while Vincent Kompany wasn't replaced this summer after departing for Anderlecht.

City were heavily linked with a move for Harry Maguire during the transfer window, but the English international ultimately joined Manchester United in an £80-million move.

Fernandinho replaced Laporte on Saturday at the Etihad, and Guardiola suggested the Brazilian midfielder may be utilized in an emergency center-back role if Laporte is absent long term.

"He is a holding midfielder, everyone knows it, me included, but I think he has the conditions to play there," Guardiola said, according to ESPN's Rob Dawson.

"The problems we have there as a situation, he is going to adapt. He is intelligent, fast, strong in the headers, in the buildup, he has the quality to see what happens in front. He can play in both positions."

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