City suffering midfield malaise

Manchester City are facing a midfield injury crisis ahead of Saturday’s televised match at Southampton.

With Trevor Sinclair definitely out, Claudio Reyna struggling with a back problem and Steve McManaman still short of full fitness as he continues his recovery from an Achilles complaint, Blues boss Kevin Keegan has now revealed Antoine Sibierski could be suffering from cracked ribs.

Sibierski has struggled to win a regular place in the City starting line-up since his move from Lens last summer, but he has a decent scoring record and performed creditably in last weekend’s 1-0 home defeat at Arsenal.

With his squad stretched badly, Keegan was almost certain to stick with Sibierski for the trip to St Mary’s.

But the former England coach must now wait for the results of the Frenchman’s X-rays before knowing whether the 29-year-old will be available.

“Antoine got a knock on Saturday but stayed on,” Keegan told www.mcfc.co.uk.

“We are waiting to look at the x-rays but we think he has a cracked rib in which case it would be very difficult for him to be fit.

“I don’t know how long it takes cracked ribs to heal – I guess it depends how badly cracked they are but I do know it’s very painful.

“We have lost a lot in midfield where fortunately for us we have a lot of players. But suddenly with Trevor Sinclair out as well we just don’t have as many players.”

City are due to head for the south coast tomorrow and if Sibierski does not make the trip, young Dubliner Willo Flood looks set to be handed his first Premiership start.

Whether Keegan would consider recalling Robbie Fowler is open to question.

At the weekend, the City chief said he had told the striker he had to improve his fitness before he would be selected again, suggesting his recall would not be until after the forthcoming international break.

Fowler has been working hard on the training ground but even with such a lack of numbers, the former England man is expected to be left at home.