DAVID SILVA, the Manchester City midfielder, will miss tomorrow's derby with a knee injury while Manchester United welcome back Wayne Rooney after a three-match suspension.
Silva was hurt in the early stages of Wednesday night's 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle in the Capital One Cup and faces up to four weeks out with a knee injury, manager Manuel Pellegrini confirmed.
The injury means Silva will also miss next week's crucial Champions League clash against CSKA Moscow and a trip to QPR. His absence could mean a sooner-than-anticipated start for Samir Nasri after seven games out following groin surgery.
Pellegrini said: "David has a problem in his ligament. Maybe he will be out around three weeks.
"He is a very important player but I always say the same thing: we have a squad and we have to replace him with another player."
Midfielder Yaya Toure was also withdrawn as a precaution during the Newcastle defeat with a groin problem but Pellegrini expects him to feature tomorrow. He said: "Yaya has a small problem but I think he will not have any problems."
City go into the game amid an underwhelming run of form. They surrendered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 at CSKA Moscow last week and were then beaten at West Ham in the league and knocked out of the Capital One Cup by Newcastle.
They could be nine points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea going into tomorrow's match if the London club beat QPR today, and there is a feeling City can ill afford many more slip-ups, even at this early stage of the season.
Pellegrini referred to a "lack of trust" among his players after the Newcastle result but is convinced they will soon get back to their best. He said: "I think they know perfectly what we are doing and I am absolutely sure we will return to our normal performance.
Rooney may have been passed fit for the derby, but Radamel Falcao, who missed United's last two games after receiving a kick in training, remains out through injury.
Manager Louis van Gaal dismissed reports earlier this week claiming Rooney was a doubt because he had been seen hobbling at a sponsor's event at Old Trafford on Monday. "Rooney was not injured. The media was writing that but he was never injured," said Van Gaal. "Maybe his shoes were too tight."
Not being able to call upon Falcao is a blow for Van Gaal, although Rooney's return will provide the Dutchman with more firepower ahead of probably the biggest match of the season so far.
The United captain has scored 11 goals against City, the most notable of which came in February 2011 when he put away a spectacular overhead kick to seal a 2-1 win at Old Trafford.
Van Gaal gives the impression that he thinks City are there for the taking. "What we have seen of Manchester City in the last matches was not so good," he said. "We have a good feeling about this match."
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