David Silva is out of this weekend’s derby with a knee injury and could miss up to three matches.
A scan on his knee revealed that the playmaker has suffered ligament damage that will force him City’s game with Manchester United.
Silva, who was injured when he was fouled by Newcastle’s Ryan Taylor, is set to miss City’s must-win tie against CSKA Moscow on Wednesday.
Silva has been pivotal to City’s success so far this season. He has started all but one of their games this season.
Manuel Pellegrini is under pressure going into the showdown with Manchester United and Joe Hart has defended him, claiming the players are to blame for City’s slump.
“We know where we are as a unit,” said the England No 1. “We just need a few players, myself included, to step up and we’ll be fine. We’re big enough and ugly enough to know that this is football. We’re prepared to fight through it and put it right.”
Hart backed Pellegrini to turn City around without needing to resort to chucking teacups around the dressing room.
“It’s a good thing to have a constant,” he said. “We know what kind of a guy he is and what he expects from us. He’s someone who doesn’t have to smash the room up to show you they’re disappointed.
“He’s got his standards that we try to live up to, and if we don’t were just as disappointed as he is. He knows his methods and we’ve proved in the past playing his way works.”
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