Silva hamstrung for City

Silva continues to struggle with the hamstring injury which has kept him out for the past two games while defenders Pablo Zabaleta (hamstring) and Maicon (foot), and midfielders Javi Garcia (thigh) and Jack Rodwell (hamstring) are also missing.

Another midfielder, James Milner, also sits out through suspension after his sending-off at West Brom last weekend.

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is adamant top players should be able to fit into any system - and insisted only weak teams would collapse after one defeat.

City's Champions League hopes are hanging by a thread after a chaotic encounter with Ajax in Amsterdam midweek, which the Blues lost, despite taking the lead, amid recriminations over Mancini's formation.

With his side losing 2-1, Mancini hauled off Joleon Lescott to play three defenders, and they immediately conceded again.

In his post-match interview Micah Richards claimed his team-mates did not like the system and indicated it was being used under orders from Mancini but under sufferance from the players.

"If you are a top player it is not important what system you use," said Mancini.

"If you don't understand a system like that, you cannot play for a top team.

"What Micah said is not important. He answered a question. I understand people want to write about it, but to me it doesn't matter.

"Maybe Micah doesn't know because it his first game for two and a half months."