Manchester City's John Stones out 4-5 Weeks with Injury, Per Pep Guardiola

Manchester City defender John Stones could be out of action for up to five weeks after he suffered a muscular injury on Tuesday.

According to the club's official Twitter account, Pep Guardiola announced the England international's injury in a further blow to his defence.

The Premier League champions have already lost Aymeric Laporte for an extended period after the centre-back injured his right knee, which required surgery.

Stones, a £47.5 million signing for City from Everton in 2016, started in Laporte's place in the 3-2 defeat to Norwich City on Saturday in a disastrous showing for him and partner Nicolas Otamendi, but he will be a big miss for the Citizens.

The 25-year-old is comfortable bringing the ball out from the back and picking out his team-mates, which makes him well-suited to playing in Guardiola's technically gifted side.

Given the recovery timetable announced by Guardiola, the earliest Stones can be expected to return is Oct. 19, when City face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

It is likely that Fernandinho will replace Stones at centre-back. Jack Gaughan of the Daily Mail reported on Monday, before Stones' injury, that the Brazilian was in consideration to make his first appearance of the season against Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League at centre-back.