KOMPANY OUT FOR UP TO A MONTH - PELLEGRINI

The Manchester City captain sustained yet another calf injury just nine minutes into his comeback on Boxing Day and will now be on the sidelines until the end of January

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed that Vincent Kompany will be out of action for three to four weeks with a calf injury.

Kompany made his return from his previous calf problem during the Boxing Day victory against Sunderland, but limped off the pitch just nine minutes after coming on.

It was later confirmed that he had suffered yet another calf injury, having already missed two month-long spells earlier in the campaign.

"Vincent has an injury, a second degree tear of the calf," Pellegrini said of his captain, who managed fewer than nine minutes as a substitute in the Boxing Day win over Sunderland.

"We will see how long he will be out, but I don't think it will be less than three-four weeks.

"I am not a doctor, but with a muscle injury, it will be very difficult for him to be back in less than four weeks. But without him, we must continue to defend as we did tonight."

Kompany released an emotional message following Saturday's defeat of Sunderland, bemoaning a number of "small and local" injuries and vowing to fight to "get what I deserve, my best years in football".

The 29-year-old has now missed 10 league matches thanks to his troublesome injuries and City had not kept a clean sheet without him in any competition until the goalless draw at Leicester.