Kompany expected to miss around 1 month after latest setback

Manuel Pellegrini has revealed that Vincent Kompany could be set for a one-month residency in the Etihad Campus treatment room.

The Manchester City skipper had to be withdrawn just seven minutes into Tuesday's Champions League draw with Dynamo Kyiv after suffering an injury.

Kompany's look of resignation upon sustaining the problem suggested it was a recurrence of the calf issues that have hampered him for much of the season, but Pellegrini made efforts to allay those fears.

"Talking with the doctor, I think that Vincent has an injury in the other calf, not the same one as last time," Pellegrini told reporters Friday. "We'll see in the way he'll improve - maybe one month he can be ready. I think he could play again this season.

"It's a new injury in the other calf. It's high behind the knee, similar to the one that (Aleksandar) Kolarov had a month ago and he took three weeks to a month to recover so we'll see."

Another player who's a concern for Sunday's visit of hated rival Manchester United is Nicolas Otamendi, who also had to be taken off against Dynamo after receiving a significant blow to his leg. In the absence of the Belgian and Argentinian, duties at the back would be left to veteran Martin Demichelis and Eliaquim Mangala.

"We'll see with Otamendi tomorrow - Nico is running but it's a risk if he takes another kick on the same leg," said Pellegrini. "We'll assess him on Saturday."

Pellegrini did have some positive news to share at Friday's press conference, announcing that he hopes to hand valuable match practice to Samir Nasri, Fabian Delph, and Kevin De Bruyne in a friendly with the under-21s during the international break. The midfield trio have all been unavailable for some time with respective injuries.