Kevin de Bruyne injury scare as Man City is held 0-0 by Inter Milan in the Champions League

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City faces a new injury concern for Kevin de Bruyne ahead of a showdown with Premier League title rival Arsenal after the playmaker was substituted at halftime of Wednesday's Champions League match against Inter Milan.

The Belgium international looked in discomfort after making a run late in the first half. After receiving treatment, De Bruyne didn't return for the second half and was replaced by Ilkay Gundogan. The game ended 0-0.

City hosts title rival Arsenal at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

City manager Pep Guardiola said he didn't know the extent of De Bruyne's injury, but was informed by the club doctor the playmaker could not carry on in the second half.

“I didn’t speak with the doctors yet," Guardiola said about De Bruyne' availability for the weekend. "(He will be) Assessed tonight, maybe tomorrow. We will have more info tomorrow.”

De Bruyne endured an injury-disrupted campaign last season when he was sidelined from August to January with a hamstring problem. He returned to help the club secure a record fourth straight English title.

He has started every game this season and scored in City's 4-1 win against Ipswich last month.

City held off challenges from Arsenal in each of the last two seasons to lift the title. The north London club is expected to be City's main rival again this term.

Arsenal has its own injury problems ahead of the game after captain Martin Odegaard was ruled out with ankle ligament damage.

Without De Bruyne, City failed to find a breakthrough against Inter and was shut out at home in the Champions League for the first time since a 0-0 draw with Sporting Lisbon in March 2022.

It was only the second time in all competitions since then that Guardiola's team failed to score at home — the other coming in a 0-0 with Arsenal in the league in March.

City extended its unbeaten home run in European games to 32, dating back to a 2-1 loss to Lyon in 2018.

Erling Haaland has looked unstoppable this season with nine goals in his first four games of the campaign before Wednesday match. But that run was snapped by Inter with the Norway striker stuck on 99 goals for City.

Haaland also failed to score against the Italians when the teams met in the Champions League final in 2023, which City won 1-0 to lift the trophy for the first time in its history.

“They are masters of defending,” Guardiola said.

With his contract expiring at the end of the season, Guardiola sounds like he's still loving life at City.

Asked by an Italian journalist if he could see himself working in Italy in the future, Guardiola said: "I really enjoy being here. I love English football, it is fantastic, really enjoyable. They leave you alone to get on with the job. That doesn't happen anywhere else.

“It's a great club. I really feel good being here.”

James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, left, and Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi, right, during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Inter Milan in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland reacts after a missed scoring opportunity during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Inter Milan at the Etihad Stadium, in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, right, shoots during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Inter Milan in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, left, gestures end of the first half during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Inter Milan at the Etihad Stadium, in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland, right, and Inter Milan's Alessandro Bastoni, left, challenge for the ball during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Inter Milan in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, center, gestures as he speaks medical staff end of the first half during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Inter Milan at the Etihad Stadium, in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mark Stone had a goal and two assists and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Seattle Kraken 6-2 on Saturday night.

After falling behind 1-0 less than three minutes into the game, the Golden Knights scored three unanswered goals in the first period and never relinquished the lead.

After Keegan Kolesar tied the game at 1-all, Brett Howden took Jack Eichel’s pass from behind the net and beat Philipp Grubauer at the doorstep to give Vegas a one-goal edge. Nic Hague's goal later in the period put Vegas up, 3-1.

William Karlsson and Noah Hanifin also added goals in the third and Ilya Samsonov stopped 21 shots to improve to 8-3-1. Eichel finished with two assists.

Vince Dunn and Jaden Schwartz scored for Seattle while Grubauer made 29 saves and fell to 3-10-0.

Kraken: Center Chandler Stephenson made his first return to Vegas since signing with Seattle as a free agent during the offseason. Stephenson is the only NHL player to hoist the Stanley Cup twice in Vegas, winning inside T-Mobile Arena with Washington in 2018, and again with the Knights in 2023.

Golden Knights: Vegas has won three straight and seven of eight in December. With the win, the Knights (47) are now four points in front of Los Angeles (43) in the Pacific Division and two points shy of Western Conference-leading Winnipeg (49).

Trailing 1-0, Kolesar took a cross-ice pass from Victor Olofsson that led him perfectly on a breakaway. Kolesar’s snipe over Grubauer’s glove gave him his career-high eighth goal of the season.

Seattle is now 1-17-1 when trailing after two periods while Vegas improved to 12-1-0 when leading after the first 40 minutes.

The Knights host the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night. The Kraken visit the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

Vegas Golden Knights centers Brett Howden (21) and Jack Eichel (9) celebrate after Howden's goal against the Seattle Kraken during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

Seattle Kraken center Yanni Gourde (37) and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin (15) battle for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) and right wing Cole Schwindt (22) celebrate after Kolesar's goal against the Seattle Kraken during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Seattle Kraken center Yanni Gourde shoots against Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb (3) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Seattle Kraken center Chandler Stephenson (9) shoots against Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Ilya Samsonov (35) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Seattle Kraken during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)