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Aguero hoping to return to City training

Sergio Aguero has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since the end of January © Getty Images

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Sergio Aguero is hoping to return to training with Manchester City next week, which could see him back in time for the League Cup final.

Having scored 26 goals in 25 appearances for City this season, Aguero has been sidelined since the end of January with a hamstring injury.

But the striker took to Twitter on Thursday to express his hope of soon making a return to action.

Feeling very good about my last week of recovery work. If I keep it up next week I'll train with the team!

— Sergio Aguero (@aguerosergiokun) February 20, 2014

Super Sergio

City have missed Aguero in recent weeks © PA Photos

• In the four games since Aguero's injury, City have dropped five points in the league and lost 2-0 in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 clash with Barcelona.
  
  Their only victory has been the 2-0 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup, which is also the only game in which they have scored in Aguero's absence.

That would suggest Saturday's Premier League meeting with Stoke is too soon, but Aguero could be fit in time to face Sunderland at Wembley on March 2.

And although he is back in light training, he will sit out Saturday's Premier League game against Stoke with manager Manuel Pellegrini reluctant to say when he expects his 26-goal top scorer to make his comeback.

"We will see," he said. "Sergio is not working 100 percent normally. I think next week, on Tuesday, he will start working with the whole squad."

Pellegrini allayed fears his captain Vincent Kompany also has a hamstring injury, adding: "He doesn't have any problem with that."

However, centre-back Matija Nastasic, who has not featured in City's last three games, is still sidelined.

"He still has pain in his knee and he is the only player who is not fit," Pellegrini said.

The City manager believes there will not be any hangover from Tuesday's Champions League defeat to Barcelona when his team resume their title challenge against Stoke.

He added: "I'm sure all the players know what happened in that game, we analysed it and it can have a different relationship to the Premier League. They are absolutely clear in their minds that we are fighting for the Premier League and we must continue to the end. So I don't think there will be a psychological link between one competition and the other."

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