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Joleon Lescott hands Fabio Capello another World Cup headache as Manchester City defender faces five weeks out

By Ian Ladyman for the Daily Mail Updated: 18:07 EST, 23 March 2010 Hamstrung: Joleon Lescott will sit out a crucial phase of City's race for a Champions League spot

Fabio Capello has been handed another defensive problem with Manchester City's Joleon Lescott out of action for five weeks.

A scan in London yesterday revealed that Lescott has suffered a serious hamstring tear and will not be available again until the end of next month.

The news is a serious blow for City and their coach Roberto Mancini, who yesterday stated that he expects to remain at Eastlands even if he doesn't guide the club to a top-four Barclays Premier League finish.

But it is also worrying for England manager Capello ahead of the World Cup in South Africa. Already without defenders Wayne Bridge and Ashley Cole, and with Rio Ferdinand nursing his back through the season and John Terry out of form, the last thing Capello needs is another summer absentee.

Although former Everton defender Lescott should be playing again before the end of the season, he has already missed a huge chunk of the campaign through injury and is not proving himself to be very durable.

Mancini said: 'Lescott has a bad hamstring problem. He will be out for four weeks, or maybe even five. It is not good news for us or for him.

'He went to see a specialist in London and he told him he will be out for four or five weeks wi th a mus c l e t endo n problem.'

Mancini has reassured midfielder Stephen Ireland, player of the season at Eastlands last year, that he still has a future at City.

Ireland has struggled this season, failing to make an impact under Mark Hughes or his successor Mancini.

He was left on the bench as City won at Chelsea, drew at Sunderland and won at Fulham in their last three games and is thought to be unsettled by the lack of first team action.

But last night Mancini said: 'He is a good player. He has a good spirit and a good technique and he is going to be an important player for us in the future.'

Mancini's team face Everton tonight as they continue their push for the final Champions League place.

Asked if he was confident of staying at City if he failed to finish fourth, Mancini said: 'Yes, the job goes on and on. Our target is fourth but, yes, if we didn't finish fourth I expect to carry on in this job. Why not?'

Rival manager David Moyes pinpointed the flaws in City's bid to buy their way to the top yesterday and claimed: 'Some of their players probably don't appreciate what it means to pull on a sky blue shirt.'

'The collective is so important. It is imperative for any club and it only comes through being given an opportunity to work with your players.

'City have bought players with undoubted talent who can win games, individuals who can make the difference. Given time, they might have a team like Everton.

'But the difference is, I've been given eight years to mould together a team of players who know what it means to play for Everton. Who know what it means to the supporters. I don't know if all the City players know what it means to their supporters or if they have an appreciation of what it means to be representing City.'












