Manchester City full back Fabian Delph leaves Anfield on crutches after knee injury in Liverpool defeat

Guardiola will now be forced to turn to Danilo or Oleksandr Zinchenko

Fabian Delph went down with a knee problem shortly after the half hour mark (Getty)

Fabian Delph appears set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after leaving Anfield on crutches following Manchester City's 4-3 defeat at Liverpool on Sunday.

Three second-half goals in the space of eight minutes from Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah made the difference as City’s long unbeaten Premier League run was brought to an abrupt end.

Delph, at fault in the build-up to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s opener, later turned his knee while making a challenge on the was replaced by Danilo shortly after the half hour mark having gone down with a suspected knee injury.

After the final whistle, the midfielder made his way out of Anfield on crutches with his knee in a brace and during his post-match press conference, Guardiola confirmed that Delph’s problem is a serious one.

“He will be out, I think, for a while,” the City manager said. “I don’t know if it will be a lot of time but he will be out for a while. It is his knee, he turned his knee.”

Delph, naturally a central midfield player, has filled in at left-back for City since £52m summer recruit Benjamin Mendy suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury in September.

Guardiola will now be forced to turn to Danilo - Kyle Walker’s cover at right-back - or winger Oleksandr Zinchenko, who has impressed in the left back position in City’s FA and EFL Cup games.