Sergio Aguero’s loss could be Mario Balotelli’s gain, after the Argentine striker went off injured during his side’s 3-0 win at home to Stoke City.
The New Year’s Day success allowed City to preserve the seven-point gap that separates them from Premier League leaders Manchester United.
It came at a cost, however, with Aguero forced from the fray in the 76th minute after apparently injuring his hamstring.
Manager Roberto Mancini predicted on Tuesday that Aguero would be out for around 10 days, ruling him out of Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Watford and putting him in doubt for the league game at Arsenal the following weekend.
One potential replacement is Italian forward Balotelli, the controversial striker who has missed the holiday program due to a virus.
But Mancini will have to think long and hard about the move. The last time Balotelli played at Emirates Stadium he was shown a straight red card for a late challenge on Bacary Sagna.
“Mario is back on the training pitch, he’s trained for the last two or three days, and he looks like he’s shaken the illness off,” said assistant coach David Platt.
“The problem that Mario had is that he was ill, he came back, then he had a relapse with his illness.
Aguero has already had one extended spell on the sidelines this season, a knee problem ruling him out for just over a month in late August, and despite the depth in City’s squad, his absence will be keenly felt.
The 24-year-old has been in magnificent form lately but limped off the field minutes after claiming City’s third goal from the penalty spot.
Platt said City would face an anxious 48-hour wait before the injury settles and the club’s medical staff are able to determine the full extent of the problem.
“It’s bad enough that he won’t play Saturday,” said Platt.
“It’s difficult to assess an injury like that for how long it’s going to be. Saturday he will be out. He’ll be doubtful for Arsenal.
“It’s a hamstring. There are different degrees of hamstring, that’s why you need the 48 hours. We’ll just have to see.”
Of greater potential concern to City are the pending losses of Kolo and Yaya Toure, who have played their last club game before leaving for international duty with the Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations – a tournament that could rule them out of Premier League action for up to six weeks.
Aguero’s goal against Stoke followed efforts by Pablo Zabaleta and Edin Dzeko either side of halftime that helped City to end Stoke’s 10-match unbeaten league run.
“Someone asked me what the difference was between the two sides, and I said about STG220 million ($A346 million),” said Stoke manager Tony Pulis.
“For us to win here, we have to bring our ‘A-game’ and City have to be off it.
“They have a bit of a headstart over a club like ours.
“I don’t know whether it was because it was the fourth game over the holiday period, but I’m not going to criticise the players. They still worked their socks off.
“You have to give City credit. You give me 220 million now and I’ll come back next year and see how close we are then.
“We’re human beings and sometimes you’re just not on it.”
