Manchester City have injury doubts over six key players as they head into their Premier League game against West Ham on Saturday lunchtime.
Pep Guardiola’s side beat Porto 3-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday night but it came at a cost as their injury woes worsened when veteran midfielder Fernandinho, who came on as a substitute, couldn't complete the game and was forced out through injury.
Guardiola said post match to our colleagues at the Manchester Evening News that he expects the versatile midfielder to be out of action for at least a month.
"It's bad news [on Fernandinho]. It's in his leg I think he will be out for four to six weeks. it is a big blow for us because we need people there."
City could be boosted by the return of Kevin De Bruyne and Aymeric Laporte to training on Thursday but both are in a race against time to be fit for the trip to London Stadium this weekend.
"I think Kevin and Laporte start training tomorrow but I don't know how they will be tomorrow and the next days so we will see," Guardiola added.
“Unfortunately people came back and now we have lost another but it is really important to come back.
“In three days we go to London and after we travel to France to play against Marseille and then Sheffield three days after. The schedules are so demanding and we need all the players.”
City lost another defender in Nathan Ake on the morning of the Porto game with a niggle in his groin and his status for Saturday’s early kick-off is unknown.
Left back Benjamin Mendy, who Ake had been deputising for, is also out of the West Ham game, as is striker Gabriel Jesus though Sergio Aguero has returned to fitness and started the past two games.
For the Hammers, they are expected to report a clean bill of health on Friday heading into the game. Michail Antonio was taken off during the draw against Spurs with a hamstring injury which was described as a precaution by David Moyes.
Striker Sebastien Haller missed out on the squad on Sunday after picking up a knock in training on Friday but both he and Antonio are expected to be fit for Sunday.
Issa Diop is available having been an unused substitute for the past two games after his enforced Covid-19 layoff.
