Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini hopes top scorer Sergio Aguero will be out of action for no longer than a fortnight.
Aguero was withdrawn at half-time after feeling a twinge in his hamstring during the midweek Champions League loss in Barcelona.
City are still waiting to learn the full extent of the injury but an absence of two weeks would put the Argentinian out of the derby against Manchester United on March 25.
Aguero underwent a scan on his return to Manchester and results are expected at the weekend.
The 25-year-old missed five games with a hamstring injury in February but Pellegrini is hopeful the problem is not as serious this time.
Pellegrini said: "Sergio will know on Saturday what he has. It is 48 hours after the exam when they will know exactly what he has.
"I really don't know, but I don't think it is really very serious. I am hopeful he will (only) be injured for a couple of weeks."
Manchester City: The latest match picturesShow all 70 1 /70Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 2 Sheffield Wednesday 1 James Milner of Manchester City scores his team's second goal to take a 2-1 lead
Getty Images
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 2 Sheffield Wednesday 1 James Milner celebrates scoring his team's first goal
Getty Images
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 4 Aston Villa 0 Yaya Toure rounds off the scoring for City after a superb solo run
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 4 Aston Villa 0 Stevan Jovetic celebrates after getting on the score sheet with City's third
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 4 Aston Villa 0 Samir Nasri misses a good chance for City
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 4 Aston Villa 0 Vincent Kompany and Samir Nasri celebrate with Edin Dzeko after his second goal of the night
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 4 Aston Villa 0 Edin Dzeko celebrates after putting City in front
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 4 Aston Villa 0 Edin Dzeko wheels away after opening the scoring for City
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 4 Aston Villa 0 Edin Dzeko scores the opening goal past Brad Guzan
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 4 Aston Villa 0 Joe Hart prepares himself for the game
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Everton 1 Manchester City 1 Sergio Aguero fires home City's equaliser
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Everton 1 Manchester City 1 Sergio Aguero dribbles past John Stones
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Everton 1 Manchester City 1 Ross Barkley celebrates after opening the scoring with a superb strike
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Crystal Palace 0 Manchester City 2 Jason Puncheon is challenged by Aleksandar Kolarov
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Crystal Palace 0 Manchester City 2 Referee Howard Webb looks on as Samir Nasri shields the ball from Mile Jedinak and Adrian Mariappa
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Crystal Palace 0 Manchester City 2 Yaya Toure celebrates his goal
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Crystal Palace 0 Manchester City 2 Yaya Toure finishes in style after a powerful run to put City two in front
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Crystal Palace 0 Manchester City 2 Marouane Chamakh is upended by Pablo Zabaleta
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Crystal Palace 0 Manchester City 2 Edin Dzeko celebrates after breaking the deadlock within five minutes and giving City the lead
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Crystal Palace 0 Manchester City 2 Edin Dzeko heads home City's opener
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 2 Sunderland 2 Samir Nasri clutches his shirt and looks to the heavens after missing the chance to rescue a victory for Manchester City
Getty Images
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 2 Sunderland 2 Vito Mannone fails to keep out Samir Nasri's late strike as the midfielder equalises for City
Getty Images
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 2 Sunderland 2 Connor Wickham celebrates scoring for the second time
Getty Images
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 2 Sunderland 2 Connor Wickham scores to pull Sunderland back into the tie
Getty Images
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 2 Sunderland 2 Fernandinho gives Manchester City the lead with a second-minute striker past Vito Mannone
Getty Images
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Liverpool 3 Manchester City 2 Philippe Coutinho fires in Liverpool's winner
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Liverpool 3 Manchester City 2 David Silva pulls one back for Manchester City
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Liverpool 3 Manchester City 2 Martin Skrtel heads in Liverpool's second
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Liverpool 3 Manchester City 2 Raheem Sterling celebrates his opening goal with Luis Suarez
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 4 Southampton 1 Stevan Jovetic is congratulated by Samir Nasri after scoring City's fourth
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 4 Southampton 1 Joe Hart makes a diving save
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 4 Southampton 1 Edin Dzeko celebrates with David Silva after scoring City's third just before halftime
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 4 Southampton 1 Edin Dzeko heads in a goal to give City a 3-1 lead
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 4 Southampton 1 Samir Nasri celebrates with his teammates after putting City back in front
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 4 Southampton 1 Southampton players celebrate after Rickie Lambert's equaliser from the penalty spot
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 4 Southampton 1 Rickie Lambert fires home a penalty to bring Southampton level
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 4 Southampton 1 England attacker Jay Rodriguez is injured and has to go off on a stretcher
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 4 Southampton 1 Yaya Toure puts City ahead from the spot
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 4 Southampton 1 Referee Chris Foy points to the penalty spot after Edin Dzeko is brought down
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Edin Dzeko can't believe his that deflected effort goes wide
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Mathieu Flamini celebrates his equaliser for the Gunners
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Mathieu Flamini celebrates after putting Arsenal level
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Olivier Giroud remonstrates with referee Mike Dean
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Mikel Arteta plays the ball past Jesus Navas
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Arsenal 0 Manchester City 1 Tomas Rosicky battles for the ball with Yaya Toure
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Martin Demichelis confronts Tomas Rosicky after the Arsenal player's tackle leaves Gael Clichy injured
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 The Arsenal players walk back to half way line looking dejected after conceding the opening goal
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 David Silva and Edin Dzeko celebrate after the Spaniard's opening goal
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Yaya Toure holds off Santi Cazorla
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Fernandinho holds off the challenge of Mathieu Flamini
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester United 0 Manchester City 3 Edin Dzeko celebrates one of his two goals at Old Trafford - both of which came early at the start of each half
Getty Images
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester United 0 Manchester City 3 David De Gea looks dejected after conceding to Manchester City
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester United 0 Manchester City 3 Marouane Fellaini is taken off, much to the delight of United fans after another abject performance
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester United 0 Manchester City 3 England team-mates Joe Hart and Dnny Welbeck come together
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester United 0 Manchester City 3 Jesus Navas sees his cross blocked by Patrice Evra
AP
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester United 0 Manchester City 3 Yaya Toure sweeps in his side's third goal late in the match
Getty Images
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 5 Fulham 0 Martin Demichelis rounds off the scoring for City
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 5 Fulham 0 Yaya Toure celebrates his second goal of the afternoon
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Manchester City 5 Fulham 0 Yaya Toure converts his first penalty
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Manchester City 2 Edin Dzeko celebrates with David Silva and Jesus Navas
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Manchester City 2 Edin Dzeko scores City's second
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Manchester City 2 George Boyd and Joe Hart have to be separated after a bust up
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Manchester City 2 David Silva celebrates his opening goal
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Manchester City 2 Vincent Kompany receives a red card for a tackle on Nikica Jelavic
GETTY IMAGES
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Barcelona 2 Manchester City 1 Gerard Pique goes up for a head with Vincent Kompany
Getty Images
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Barcelona 2 Manchester City 1 Lionel Messi celebrates after opening the scoring in this Champions League second-leg match
Getty Images
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Barcelona 2 Manchester City 1 Joe Hart saves at the feet of Cesc Fabregas
EPA
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Barcelona 2 Manchester City 1 Aleksandar Kolarov does his best to stop Neymar
AP
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Barcelona 2 Manchester City 1 Sergio Aguero pictured at the Nou Camp
Getty Images
Manchester City: The latest match pictures Barcelona 2 Manchester City 1 David Silva in action at the Nou Camp
Getty Images
Aguero has already been ruled out of this weekend's Barclay Premier League trip to Hull and will face a battle to prove his fitness for the visit of Fulham the following Saturday.
The derby at Old Trafford comes three days after that.
Aguero's latest problem is a blow to City as they bid to recover from FA Cup and Champions League elimination to gain ground in the title race.
City have fallen nine points behind leaders Chelsea, but have three games in hand, while focusing on other competitions in the past three weeks.
Pellegrini said: "We need to work hard with everyone, with the staff, with all the players. Now we must try to fight for the title in the Premier League."
City are also still without striker Stevan Jovetic and defender Matija Nastasic but Pellegrini was hopeful that "maybe next week they can be fit".
Right-back Micah Richards is also out with an unspecified knock.
Pellegrini, speaking at a press conference to preview the Hull game, dismissed suggestions midfielder Jack Rodwell could be allowed to leave the club on loan.
Rodwell has failed to make an impression at City in two injury-hit seasons since arriving from Everton in a £12million deal.
The 23-year-old has been linked with an emergency loan switch to Wigan to cover for injuries.
Pellegrini said: "No, Jack will continue. Unfortunately for him he has had a lot of injuries during the year but he will continue now here."
PA
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies