Silva has featured in all 11 of City’s league games so far this season and started in their 2-1 win over Southampton on Saturday but the 33-year-old was replaced by striker Gabriel Jesus just before halftime.

“David Silva was injured. Five minutes before the first half ended he told me he had a muscular problem,” Guardiola told reporters.

“When he has a muscular problem and cannot play more minutes it is because he has something and when it is a muscular problem it is always a minimum of 10-12 days.”

Guardiola’s team are six points behind Liverpool, who they face at Anfield on Nov 10, four days after visiting Italy’s Atalanta in the Champions League.

Champions City were the only team Liverpool lost to in the top flight last season as the Merseyside club finished second by a single point.

Guardiola said it was too early in the campaign to view Sunday’s match as being decisive in terms of the title race.

“Now we go to Italy and when we come back we go to Anfield. We will see,” he added.

“Many things are going to happen and there are a lot of games to play.”