Premier League leaders Manchester City will be without the services of defender Ruben Dias for the immediate future.

The team confirmed on Friday that the 2021 FWA Player of the Year will miss the next four to six weeks with a hamstring injury.

"Ruben is massively important for us, but he is not there," manager Pep Guardiola said ahead of Sunday's match at the Etihad with Manchester United.

Dias, 24, signed from Benfica in the summer of 2020 in a £61.64 million move.

The Portugal international has made 25 league appearances this season. His 93.8 per-cent pass completion record is 98th percentile of Premier League defenders.

On top of Sunday's Manchester derby, Dias is also set to miss league matches with Crystal Palace and Brighton, as well as a Champions League date with Sporting and an FA Cup quarter-final at Southampton.

City will also be without Netherlands defender Nathan Aké for Sunday's match.

City currently sits on 66 points, six points clear of second-place Liverpool, who have a game in hand.