Manchester City star Nathan Ake was stretchered off in pain during the Netherlands' UEFA Nations League game against Germany and appeared on the verge of tears.
Ake made way for Jurrien Timber on the stroke of half-time after sustaining what looked like a hamstring injury. Team-mate Cody Gakpo was seen waving urgently for a stretcher after it became clear the defender was unable to continue.
The City defender is just the latest Premier Leagye star to suffer an injury during the September international break. Title rivals Arsenal are sweating on two players, Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori and Norway midfielder Martin Odegaard.
Pep Guardiola and his staff will now face an anxious wait to learn the extent of Ake's injury. City's next Premier League match comes against Brentford on Saturday, while they're up against Arsenal on September 22.
The Netherlands took an early lead against Germany through Tijani Reinders, only for Deniz Undav to equalise. Joshua Kimmich put the visitors in front in first-half stoppage-time, but Denzel Dumfries brought Ronald Koeman's team back level.
Undav's goal came after a mistake from another Premier League defender, with Matthijs de Ligt giving the ball away to set up a German attack. The Manchester United centre-back made way at the break, with Brighton's Jan Paul van Hecke taking his place.
It was a second error in as many games for De Ligt, though the Netherlands still beat Bosnia and Herzegovina in the first part of their September double-header. "I should have done better at their second goal, and I know that," he said. "I don't really know what happened.. I should have cleared the ball but I kept having doubts during the play. It's just f****d."
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The injury concern comes as Manchester City prepare to go into a busy autumn. A Champions League match against Inter Milan comes in between their next two league fixtures, in a repeat of the 2023 final of the competition.
September also brings an EFL Cup match against Watford and a Premier League trip to Newcastle. October, meanwhile, will begin with a first Champions League away game of the campaign against Slovan Bratislava.
Arsenal are similarly busy, and have a similar wait over captain Odegaard after his ankle injury against Austria. “It looked bad in the dressing room too," Norway manager Stale Solbakken said. "He didn't have the nerve to continue. It is not certain that [Mikel] Arteta will call me tonight and praise me."
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