Manchester City currently have just three fit defenders ahead of their crunch clash with Chelsea (Man City 21/10, Draw 9/4, Chelsea 6/5 – Match Betting), who themselves have major injury concerns.
Both teams crashed out of the Carling Cup in midweek but the two managers would have had one eye on Saturday’s big game at Eastlands.
City boss Roberto Mancini has revealed that he is desperately short of defensive options ahead of the weekend, with Micah Richards the latest concern.
The England international missed the League Cup defeat at West Brom due to a hamstring problem and is in a race against time to be fit for the weekend.
Mancini says Pablo Zabaleta will play at right back against the league leaders, while Vincent Kompany and Kolo Toure are the only other two fully-fit players.
The Italian admitted: “I hope that Micah Richards can recover. If not I don’t know who can play left-back. We have big problems.”
Gareth Barry or James Milner (4/1 to score at anytime) could well be asked to play in an unfamiliar role at left back, although Wayne Bridge still has an outside chance of making the weekend.
Mancini says he has no regrets over his team selection at the Hawthorns, even though City (4/6 Premier League 2010-11 Top Four Finish) crashed out of the Carling Cup.
The former Sampdoria (28/1 to win 2010-11 Europa League) striker added: “Saturday is more important, the FA Cup is more important. The Europa League is more important.
“I did not regard this as a necessary sacrifice. We wanted to win. That is why I had four senior players on the bench. But I knew there was a chance we could lose because we started with six young players.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea’s injury list continues to grow with Yossi Benayoun and Salomon Kalou almost certainly ruled out of Saturday’s match.
Both players featured in the Carling Cup loss to Newcastle, with Benayoun suffering a calf injury and Kalou picking up a thigh problem.
Carlo Ancelotti said: “We will know more soon, but they don’t look good. They will miss the next few games. These things happen in football.”
Ancelotti already has major doubts over the fitness of Frank Lampard, while Gael Kakuta is also sidelined with thigh injury.
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