David Silva to miss Manchester derby for City, out for 3-4 weeks

Manchester City midfielder David Silva will miss Sunday's derby against Manchester United and faces up to four weeks out with a knee injury, manager Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed.

Silva was hurt in the early stages of Wednesday night's 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle in the Capital One Cup as he tangled awkwardly with Ryan Taylor.

David is a very important player but we have a squad and we will have to replace him with another player," Pellegrini told a news conference ahead of Sunday's match at the Etihad Stadium.

Silva's absence also rules him out of next month's vital Champions League group matches at home to CSKA Moscow and Bayern Munich. The 28-year-old's injury means he is doubtful too for Spain's Euro 2016 qualifier against Belarus in mid-November.

Silva was substituted shortly after his collision with Taylor.

Midfielder Yaya Toure was also withdrawn as a precaution during the Newcastle defeat due to a groin problem but Pellegrini expects him to be fit to feature this weekend.

Pellegrini said: "Yaya has a small problem. We will see him on Saturday but I think he will not have any problems."

Also on the positive side, playmaker Samir Nasri appears to have come through his return to action in midweek, after seven games out following groin surgery, unscathed.