• Premier League

City concern over Nastasic injury

ESPN staff
July 27, 2013
Matija Nastasic was stretchered off with 15 minutes remaining © Getty Images
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Manchester City face an anxious wait to discover the full extent of Matija Nastasic's ankle injury after he was stretchered off in their 1-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday.

City defeated the Black Cats in Hong Kong to lift the Barclays Asia Trophy but ended the game without defender Nastasic, who was hurt with 15 minutes remaining.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini said the 20-year-old will be assessed when they return to England and is waiting to discover the severity of the Serb's problems.

"We don't know," Pellegrini told Sky Sports. "We will see when we arrive in Manchester. It's his ankle but we don't know how long it will be."

Nastasic established himself as Vincent Kompany's regular partner in the centre of the City defence last year following his £12 million move from Fiorentina in August.

The poor pitch in Hong Kong, waterlogged by a torrential downpour, had already become controversial when Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen was injured playing against Sunderland on Wednesday.

However, Pellegrini said the surface was not to blame, adding: "It wasn't the pitch though. He got a kick on his ankle but it was just part of the game."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
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