Ilkay Gundogan adds to Manchester City's growing fitness concerns

Guardiola says he will be forced to field a number of youngsters against Wycombe in League Cup on Tuesday

Ilkay Gundogan of Manchester City during the Premier League match against Southampton at Etihad Stadium on September 18. Getty

Manchester City's injury problems are mounting ahead of a crucial week of big matches with the news that Ilkay Gundogan is the latest player needing treatment.

City boss Pep Guardiola hinted the Germany midfielder was nursing a problem following Saturday's goalless draw with Southampton.

Guardiola was already without John Stones, Aymeric Laporte, Rodri and Oleksandr Zinchenko against Saints.

City face a tough run of away games with Chelsea (September 25), Paris Saint-Germain (September 28) and Liverpool (October 3) all coming within a nine-day period, but first host Wycombe in the League Cup on Tuesday.

Guardiola insists his injury list is so bad that he has no choice but to play several of his youngsters when the club begin the defence of their trophy against the League One side.

Manchester City v RB Leipzig player ratings

MANCHESTER CITY PLAYER RATINGS: Ederson – 6. City’s No 1 had a mixed game. He made a number of good saves, but some of Nkunku’s goals should have been kept out. He was also lucky in the first half when Andre Silva was adjudged offside after having tapped the ball home. Reuters

Joao Cancelo – 8. The Portuguese full-back was excellent, making several effective clearances as well as many brilliant forward surges towards the opposition box. He capped off a great game with a stunning strike from outside the box. Getty Images

Ruben Dias – 6. Last year’s PFA player of the year had a comfortable game at the back. He made some good headed clearances and started attacks with some incisive passes from the back. PA

Nathan Ake – 9. Scoring his second ever City goal, the Dutch defender was probably the home side’s best player. He opened the scoring with a thundering header from a corner before making a great block as Angelino attempted a dangerous cross into the box. Getty Images

Oleksandr Zinchenko – 6. The Ukrainian left-back made an important headed clearance to deny a Leipzig counter-attack in the first half. He also offered several teasing passes down the wing. Getty Images

Rodri – 7. Sitting in the defensive-midfield role, the Spaniard showcased some great distribution as he helped the transition from defence to attack. Getty Images

Kevin De Bruyne – 7. The Belgian was in full flow with a series of flicks and crosses. He supplied a great through ball to Torres, who was ruled offside. Getty Images

Bernardo Silva – 6. Taken off after a quiet game. He put in some solid defensive work to try and keep the Leipzig attackers at bay, but an otherwise quiet night for the Portuguese midfielder. Getty Images

Riyad Mahrez – 7. The Algerian put to use his excellent dribbling skills. He drove into the box on numerous occasions and caused problems for the opposing defence. He scored a brilliant penalty, too. Getty Images

Ferran Torres – 5. The Spaniard didn’t have his best game but continuously pressed the defence. He had a goal ruled out for offside and he was later substituted. Getty Images

Jack Grealish – 8. A sterling European start for Grealish who netted a debut goal. He showed off his usual trademark dribbling and footwork and earned several fouls in the process. His corner placement was great in the first half as he got an assist for Ake’s goal. Getty Images

SUBS: Fernandinho (59’) – 7. He made several key tackles and won a number of free-kicks to help his side out as they tried to see out the game. Getty Images

Ilkay Gundogan (59’) – 5. Gundogan didn’t have much of a presence. He had one real chance on goal, but missed the ball when it was fed to him. AP

Phil Foden (71’) – 6. Foden supplied a few teasing corners and added to the entertainment late on as City threatened to run riot late on. Getty Images

Raheem Sterling (72’) – 7. The Englishman played through the middle and caused chaos for the Leipzig defenders. Getty Images

Gabriel Jesus (81’) – 7. After coming on late into the game to replace Torres, the striker managed to grab a goal from a tap in at the back post to get City’s sixth of the night. Getty Images

RB LEIPZIG PLAYER RATINGS: Peter Gulacsi – 4. The Hungarian goalkeeper had a night to forget. He should have done better for Ake’s header, though he got a hand to it. AFP

Angelino – 6. The former City player had a good start to the game with some dangerous attacking runs, while his crosses worried the City defence. His performance dropped in the second half and got sent off after picking up two yellow cards. Getty Images

Willi Orban – 5. The defender let several runs go past him which should have been stopped, but he simply failed to step up against rampant opposition. Getty Images

Emil Forsberg – 5. He made some good runs on the wing and delivered a few crosses, one of which ended up with a goal at the end of it. Getty Images

Tyler Adams – 6. The American midfielder was dominated in the middle, and he was guilty of several fouls on Grealish. Getty Images

Lukas Klostermann – 4. Gifted City a penalty following a handball. Made one good block to thwart a Grealish shot but generally poor overall. AFP

Christopher Nkunku – 9. Leipzig’s only real star performance came from the Frenchman who got the club’s first ever Champions league hat-trick. City couldn’t deal with his headers in the box and his third goal was a brilliant shot which he tucked away into the bottom corner. Getty Images

Nordi Mukiele – 5. The Leipzig No 22 doubled City’s lead with a headed own-goal. He couldn’t deal with City’s crosses overall, though did provide a headed assist for Nkunku. Getty Images

Dani Olmo – 7. He had a nice attempt on the volley which finished over the bar, but his highlight was an assist for Nkunku’s second. Getty Images

Konrad Laimer – 4. The Austrian went missing in the middle of the park. His best moment was a switch to Olmo, which led to a goal. AFP

Andre Silva – 5. Leipzig’s summer singing started the game with a sloppy challenge on Ederson and he went on to miss a number of chances. Found the net but the goal was chalked off. Getty Images

SUBS: Amadou Haidara (60’) – 5. Had minimal impact. Offered a couple of tackles but added very little to the game. Reuters

Yousef Poulsen (60’) – 6. One of the better substitutions. He was instantly competitive and provided an assist with the outside of the foot. Getty Images

Dominik Szoboszlai (61’) – 6. The Hungarian added energy into Leipzig’s play and he had a shot from long range which sailed just over the bar. EPA

Brian Brobbey (72’) – N/A. The Dutch attacker came on late and offered very little, apart from his pace. Getty Images

Josko Gvardiol (81’) – N/A. Managed some good jockeying of the opposition attackers in his own half. Getty Images

"I don't have another alternative," said the Spaniard. "We are going to play a few young players. Some first-team players but some players must rest for the three games we have ahead of us.

"A few players from the academy are going to play because we have John, Ayme (Laporte), Aleks (Zinchenko), Rodri, I think Gundogan, all of them injured.

"We will see because we don't have four or five days to prepare and to make a good selection but it is an opportunity for the academy - that's why they are there.

"Now we are going to play the Carabao Cup. We are going to see how many people recover for the next days because we are in difficult conditions right now but we will go there and to London and Paris and Liverpool to do good games."

News of injuries to Rodri and Zinchenko broke ahead of the Southampton game and Guardiola said he does not know how long either player will be out, but Stones and Laporte are already doubtful for the trip to Chelsea this weekend.

Guardiola also ruled out Ruben Dias and Joao Cancelo, as they are the only players to have played every minute of every game so far this season.