NO SILVA SERVICE
Star to miss Ajax clash
MANCHESTER City winger David Silva will have a scan on his injured hamstring today but is almost certainly out of next Wednesday’s crucial Champions League game at Ajax.
Silva pulled up early in Spain’s draw with France on Tuesday and delayed his flight back to Manchester yesterday so that he could spend the day receiving ice treatment on his damaged muscle.
But he was due back in England last night with the club estimating that he will be out for two to three weeks.
If that proves to be correct, Silva will miss Saturday’s Barclays Premier League trip to West Brom and possibly the two games against Ajax that could go some way to determining City’s future in the Champions League this season.
City also face Swansea at home and West Ham away in the league in the coming weeks and manager Roberto Mancini will hope for better news when he is updated on Silva’s condition later today.
City are pleased that the Spanish medical staff took Silva off as soon as he pulled up on Tuesday night. They are hopeful that will have saved him from serious damage.
With Mancini’s team finally beginning to look a little like their true selves before the international break, the Italian will want as little disruption as possible as he tries to keep up with Chelsea in the league and make up for disappointing results against Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund in City’s opening games in Europe.
They will also be without midfielder Javi Garcia and right back Maicon at West Brom as both August signings have failed to recover fully from the thigh and foot injuries they picked up in recent weeks.
Liverpool striker Fabio Borini will be out for three months after the club decided he needs surgery to repair a fractured bone in his right foot.
Borini picked up the injury in Liverpool’s loss to Manchester United in September and aggravated it on duty with Italy Under 21s last week.
His club-mate Pepe Reina could also miss Saturday’s Reading game after pulling a muscle warming up for Spain against France.
i.ladyman@dailymail.co.uk