Nedum Onuoha early blow for Roberto Mancini

Nedum Onuoha has intensified Roberto Mancini's immediate concerns about Manchester City's injury list by being ruled out for up to four weeks.

Mancini's first game in charge is against Stoke on Boxing Day and he is without two defenders in Joleon Lescott, who has just had minor knee surgery, and Onuoha, who has a calf muscle strain. Shaun Wright-Phillips and Emmanuel Adebayor may also be missing for the home match.

Mancini is expected to spend big in the transfer window but said at his introductory press conference yesterday: "The only problems I have are not who we might buy in January, but that we have too many injuries."