Aymeric Laporte’s injury gives Liverpool title edge: Jermaine Jenas
Sergio Aguero scored twice to continue his prolific start to the new season, but Pep Guardiola's satisfaction at a comfortable 4-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion was tempered by a worrying knee injury suffered by defender Aymeric Laporte.
Guardiola had described Laporte as the best left-sided central defender in Europe last Friday, a day after the Frenchman was called into Didier Deschamps' Les Bleus squad.
The City manager was looking forward to his star finally making his international debut this week.
Instead, the 25-year-old was stretchered off after twisting awkwardly while fouling Adam Webster in the first half of Saturday's match at the Etihad .
The ex-Athletic Bilbao defender could be facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines, reported AFP.
"He's in hospital, it doesn't look good," said Guardiola.
"I'm waiting for the doctor to call me and tell me what he has, but he will be out for a while."
Ex-Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jermaine Jenas believes Laporte's injury could be crucial in titling the English Premier League title race towards league leaders Liverpool's favour.
He said on the BBC: "It will be something that will annoy Pep...
"It's a poor pass from (Oleksandr) Zinchenko in the first place, Rodri then should be bringing down Webster as they're on the counter-attack and you can give away a foul.
"Laporte has to come out and make the challenge and he gets it wrong... The action on his knee does not look good.
"The way he played last year and how good he is, this is the type of bad injury that shifts the title towards Anfield."
City are short-handed in central defence after Vincent Kompany's departure, with John Stones also out injured.
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