New injuries compound Keegan's discomfort

Kevin Keegan attempted to sound an upbeat note ahead of the Manchester derby on Saturday despite his side's embarrassing Worthington Cup exit on Tuesday night.

The Manchester City manager was perhaps regretting his decision to field a virtually full-strength line-up against Second Division Wigan in a hard-fought, third-round tie at the JJB Stadium. Neil Roberts' first-half strike provided the difference as Paul Jewell's men scrapped their way to a famous victory, their first over City.

Even with the derby looming, Keegan decided to rest only Eyal Berkovic of his big-name players, and his bad night was compounded by the fact that both Sylvain Distin and Steve Howey picked up injuries, leaving the former England manager short of defensive cover.

"I don't think our lads should get their heads down too much," Keegan said. "Wigan are a decent side and we have just taken six points from two away games at tough places in the Premiership, so we need not be too down.

"I wanted to win the game, but we weren't quite good enough on the night to do that. Fair dos to Wigan, however. They worked hard and they got the break, and then were good enough to hang on to it.

"It was a heavy pitch, they have been playing rugby here until three weeks ago and Wigan had several home games as well. There wasn't a lot of football played on the pitch and it was tacky. They have picked up a couple of injuries as well, though I don't know if theirs are as bad as the ones we sustained. It was that sort of night, it's English football."

Lucien Mettomo is on standby for a call-up for the derby as Keegan cursed his luck – and the transfer embargo that stops him buying a new player. Mettomo, the Cameroon defender, may now have to be thrown into a new-look back line just a few months after he was nearly shown the door as part of a swap for Nicolas Anelka.

Mettomo fell out with Keegan last season after an impressive start at the club, and his future looked bleak when the manager offered him to Paris St-Germain in part-exchange for Anelka. A reluctant Mettomo refused and has found his way back into the City side difficult, although his chance could now come with the loss of Howey and Distin.

Howey went for X-rays on his problem foot and Keegan is keen to rest him rather than push him back ahead of time, a plan that caused him more difficulty last time. Distin's hamstring strain is serious and could mean a month on the sidelines for the quick and impressive Frenchman, leaving City down to three fit centre backs.

Keegan had only Jihai Sun – who was being groomed as a right back – the returned problem boy Richard Dunne and the injury-prone veteran Gerard Wiekens available. Now Mettomo, who watched the Wigan game from the stand, is likely to play, with only youngsters Peter Bischoff and Tyrone Loran as untried alternatives.

Keegan is unwilling to recall Paul Ritchie from his loan spell at Portsmouth. The Scot has been out of his plans for months and it would be a big ask for a player who has not figured for City in almost a year.

Keegan would rather buy, but groaned: "I am finding, like all Premiership managers, that my hands are tied by the transfer window rules. It is unfortunate that you can't fetch in someone at a time like this."