John Stones injured before Manchester City’s match with Arsenal after playing for England

John Stones suffered an unfortunate injury that forced him out of action for England in their international friendly against Belgium on Tuesday evening.

This adds to the list of defensive problems for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, with Kyle Walker also getting injured in England’s last match and Manuel Akanji facing issues before Switzerland’s final game this week.

Walker picked up a hamstring injury in the first half of England’s 0-1 loss to Brazil, putting him in doubt for the upcoming Premier League game against Arsenal.

Akanji, a key Swiss defender, was withdrawn from the squad for the game against Republic of Ireland and returned to Manchester early.

Now, Manchester City faces a significant blow with John Stones being forced off the field at Wembley Stadium during the international break.

Stones, just 29 years old, left the field after 10 minutes due to a right ankle issue, with replays showing the problem as he tried to turn on the ball in midfield.

The extent of Stones’ injury remains unknown, but Gareth Southgate and Pep Guardiola will likely provide updates after the game and in a press conference on Friday.

Stones’ injury comes at a crucial time in the season for Manchester City, with important fixtures against Arsenal, Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final, Real Madrid in the Champions League, and challenging Premier League games on the horizon.

The packed schedule includes away matches against Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace, as well as a rescheduled game against Brighton & Hove Albion at the end of the month.