Manchester City's Stones ruled out 4-5 weeks

Manchester City's injury crisis deepened Tuesday, as manager Pep Guardiola announced John Stones will be sidelined four-to-five weeks with an undisclosed muscular injury.

Stones suffered the ailment during Tuesday's training session. He had just returned from a thigh injury over the weekend, suiting up for City's stunning 3-2 loss to newly promoted Norwich City.

The 25-year-old now joins fellow center-back Aymeric Laporte in the treatment room after the Frenchman was ruled out for up to six months following knee surgery.

Nicolas Otamendi is the team's only natural center-back remaining, leaving Guardiola to consider moving defensive midfielder Fernandinho into the heart of City's defense. The gaffer also hopes Eric Garcia (18) and Taylor Harwood-Bellis (17) can establish themselves in the coming months.

"What we will not do is complain that they are not able to play," he said.

Guardiola added: "Football is not how you handle good situations, but how you handle bad ones. We won seven titles and no one gave us anything, we did it ourselves. I am ready for the challenge. I like this situation."

City will kick off their Champions League campaign Wednesday when they visit Shakhtar Donetsk.