De Bruyne out for one month

Kevin De Bruyne went off injured in Manchester City's 2-0 victory against Fulham

  Kevin De Bruyne is set to miss next week’s Manchester derby and fears he is out for at least a month after the knee injury sustained against Fulham.Timothy Fosu-Mensah landed awkwardly on De Bruyne towards the end of Manchester City’s Carabao Cup victory on Thursday night.The Belgium midfielder hobbled off after feeling pain in his left knee and is undergoing further tests with club doctors to ascertain the exact damage.

That it is not the same knee to have kept him out for two months earlier in the season is a bonus but City will be without their main man again.

The Premier League champions face Southampton on Sunday before a Champions League date with Shakhtar Donetsk next week.

Then comes the derby against Manchester United next weekend before the international break.

As is the norm, De Bruyne is likely to head for Barcelona for rehabilitation.

Thursday was De Bruyne’s first domestic start of the season and this latest setback is a significant blow for Pep Guardiola.

City have missed him for much of the campaign but still sit top of the Premier League after 10 matches. 

Guardiola's side have coped in his absence but he now looks set to miss games through until Bournemouth on December 1 should he respond well to the rehabilitation.