Manchester City midfielder Elano will be sidelined for up to 10 days after suffering a groin strain in the draw against Paris St Germain in the UEFA Cup in midweek.
It means he will be sidelined for the Premier League match at Fulham tomorrow but manager Mark Hughes added: “The problem is not as bad as first feared.”
Robinho (ankle), Shaun Wright Phillips (knee) and Micah Richards (ankle) remain doubtful through injury after they all sat out the European fixture.
Provisional squad: Hart, Zabaleta, Richards, Dunne, Garrido, Ball, Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Kompany, Robinho, Vassell, Hamann, Benjani Mwaruwari, Jo, Sturridge, Ben Haim, Schmeichel, Onuoha, Evans.