LONDON, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola said Saturday he expects to be without French central defender Aymeric Laporte "for a while" after seeing him carried off on a stretcher in the first half of City's 4-0 win at home to Brighton.
Laporte, who had just been called into the French national team squad, went down after a challenge from Brighton's Adam Webster in the 34th minute of the match in the Ethiad Stadium.
He received treatment on his knee, before being stretchered off.
Speaking to the press after the game, Guardiola was pessimistic about the extent of the injury.
"I think he's gone to hospital. It doesn't look good. I don't know right now what he has but we will know tomorrow."
"They're diagnosing what he has right now. I'm waiting for the doctor to call me. He might be out for a while," he said.
Laporte was replaced in the game by Fernandinho and leaves City with a defensive crisis with John Stones and Benjamin Mendy also out injured.
