'Concern over De Bruyne'published at 23:35 British Summer Time 18 September
FT: Man City 0-0 Inter Milan
Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Etihad Stadium
There was a concern for Manchester City ahead of Sunday’s vital league meeting with Arsenal at Etihad Stadium with Kevin de Bruyne unable to come out for the second half after picking up an injury late in the first period.
Pep Guardiola will hope this was a minor knock and his removal precautionary as he will not want to lose the Belgian’s influence for a game of such significance.
City did have the consolation of the return of Phil Foden after illness, looking sharp and almost making the breakthrough only to be denied by the excellent Sommer.
Even Erling Haaland, with nine goals in his first four Premier League games this season, was unable to breach Inter’s defence as he was well shackled, almost literally on occasions as he complained to the referee about the manner in which he was constantly manhandled.
It was a night when City, unusually for them, could not make the breakthrough but it is unlikely to cause any lingering damage to their Champions League aspirations.