Pep Guardiola confirms Sergio Aguero will miss the Manchester Derby

In his pre-match press conference today, Pep Guardiola has confirmed that striker Sergio Aguero will not be part of the Manchester Derby this weekend.

The Argentine hobbled off the pitch after picking up a thigh injury against Chelsea last weekend, as the defending champions won a grueling encounter against the impressive Blues. A consistent goal scorer against Chelsea in many of the past fixtures, Aguero did not get on the score-sheet in the game.

It will be a big blow to City as they look to close the 11 point gap with runaway leaders Liverpool who are aiming to clinch the league title this year after being crowned European Champions at the end of last season.

The mantle for scoring goals now falls on Gabriel Jesus who will replace Aguero in the first-team, but questions have been raised in the past about the Brazilian's consistency in front of goal.

Nonetheless, the Manchester Derby is always one of the biggest matches in England irrespective of the positions and forms of both the Mancunian clubs and there is no doubt that the weekend tie will be one to watch for.

Another blow to City's hopes is the suspension of Ilkay Gundogan due to the accumulation of excessive yellow cards after his booking against Newcastle United on Saturday.

With Aymeric Laporte out for the long term, Guardiola is forced to play Fernandinho in the central defensive role, and this reduces his options in midfield. Though Rodri and Kevin de Bruyne make up for the first team roles and Phil Foden can be a backup in case things don't go as planned, Guardiola would've been happier if Gundogan was be available against Burnley tomorrow night.

The blue half of Manchester has never been in trouble due to injuries in the past, thanks to great squad depth. But the current situation in the Premier League with Liverpool having a massive lead as table toppers means that City cannot afford to lose any of the matches, and this is where the involvement of their best players is counted upon.