• Premier League

City facing striker shortage for Chelsea visit

Manchester City are hopeful Edin Dzeko will recover from a back injury with Manuel Pellegrini facing the prospect of taking on Premier League leaders Chelsea with just one fit striker.

Dzeko sustained the problem in Wednesday's 1-0 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich while Stevan Jovetic is still sidelined by a hamstring injury.

Edin Dzeko picked up a back injury against Bayern Munich © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Silva: City can't afford to lose to Chelsea
  
• News: I thought Lampard was going to New York - Mourinho
  
• News: Pellegrini: Yaya criticism is unfair
  

With Alvaro Negredo having joined Valencia on loan, Sergio Aguero is the only centre-forward who is guaranteed to be available for the clash at the Emirates Stadium.

"Edin Dzeko has a problem in his back after the game but I hope he will be okay for Sunday. Jovetic and Fernando continue [to have injury] problems. All the other players are okay," Pellegrini told a news conference.

Aguero has suffered from calf, hamstring and groin injuries in the past and Pellegrini said he left the striker out of his starting line-up against Bayern because he wanted to ensure he was in prime condition to face Chelsea.

Pellegrini added: "Maybe Sergio in this moment is not ready to play three games in a row in one week, [playing] 90 minutes [in all]. That is why I thought it was better for him and the squad not to play 90 minutes against Bayern. He is fresh for Sunday and I am sure he will make a difference."

Frank Lampard could face Chelsea for the first time since leaving Stamford Bridge in the summer but Pellegrini said the 36-year-old, his former club's 211-goal record scorer, has done nothing wrong in signing for City.

"I don't think it is a difficult situation for him," Pellegrini said. "Frank didn't continue in Chelsea because Chelsea didn't want him, not because he wanted to come here to Manchester City.

"He couldn't continue with the team he played his whole life for. He has all the rights to continue playing football. He arrived here and we are very happy with him. Frank is part of our squad and for sure he will be involved."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd