Mills return put on hold
Manchester City defender Danny Mills has been told it could be another six weeks before he can play again.
The 27-year-old full-back has already missed eight games after finding out he had been playing through the pain of a broken shin.
It was initially thought he would be ready for a return to action within a couple of months but although Mills has now returned to training, there is no immediate prospect of the former England international making his Blues comeback.
Instead, he faces another frustrating spell in the stands as City’s medical staff ensure the injury is completely healed before he gets involved in the physical side of the game.
“Danny will be a number of weeks yet,” manager Stuart Pearce told the club website, www.mcfc.co.uk
“The scans show really clearly that there are two big indentations at the lower end of his shin.
“The frustrating thing for Danny is that he feels physically fine. He started running last week but the medical opinion is ’if you push this too soon, it will break down on you’.
“He’ll have to run with the allotted time, which is a number of weeks, but from start to finish of the injury, we’re talking about three months.”
The news is a blow to Pearce, who is short of defensive options ahead of Saturday’s eagerly-awaited Manchester derby at Eastlands.
Ben Thatcher must serve a one-match ban, while David Sommeil is suspended for three games after being found guilty of violent conduct by an FA disciplinary panel.
With Nedum Onuoha out of form and substituted at half-time during the weekend FA Cup win over Scunthorpe, Chinese international Sun Jihai seems certain to be handed the right-back role against United.
That move also causes problems as central midfield man Claudio Reyna is also injured, although it is expected Stephen Ireland will partner Joey Barton in the City engine room as the hosts look to record their third win in four home encounters with the Red Devils.
