Benjamin Mendy Manchester CityGetty Images

Guardiola coy over Mendy's metatarsal injury

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Benjamin Mendy is suffering with a metatarsal injury.

Guardiola, however, was unable - or unwilling - to put a timeframe on the left-back’s recovery period.

Mendy has missed City’s last two games and Guardiola was initially coy when asked about the Frenchman, replying simply that he is “injured”.

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When asked specifically what the issue is, he said: “I don’t know, he has a little bit of a problem in his bone.”

He then said the problem is with Mendy's ankle, having initially claimed after the Fulham game last weekend that it was a knee complaint.

"Yes," he said when asked about the ankle, before adding, "the fifth", which sources have confirmed to Goal actually relates to the fifth metatarsal in Mendy's left foot.

City sources have told Goal that the injury is "minor", meaning a bruise rather than a fracture, although there are no further details available.

City travel to Cardiff City on Saturday afternoon and Guardiola is expecting a physical encounter, although he says that is not specific to the Welsh side.

"The Premier League is physical," he said. "Not just Cardiff. I realised that when I arrived. Cardiff has a way to play and we have to adapt.

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