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Kompany out for up to six weeks as injury woes continue

Britain Football Soccer - Crystal Palace v Manchester City - Premier League - Selhurst Park - 19/11/16 Manchester City's Vincent Kompany is substituted because of an injury Action Images via Reuters / John Sibley Livepic

(Reuters) - Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany is set for yet another spell on the sidelines after sustaining knee ligament damage, his manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday. The Belgium defender will miss up to six weeks after he hurt his right knee in a collision with his goalkeeper Claudio Bravo during Saturday's 2-1 Premier League win at Crystal Palace. "It is a ligament problem. He will be four to six weeks out," Guardiola told reporters. Kompany, 30, has started only two Premier League matches this season and has been plagued by calf, groin and thigh injuries this year. British media reported that he has now suffered 35 separate injury problems since joining City from German club Hamburg in 2008. Guardiola said he was unlikely to use Yaya Toure to fill Kompany's defensive position and he is planning on utilising the powerful Ivorian midfielder in more advanced positions to maximise his impact. "Yaya can play in many positions but I think we have other options to play there at centre-back," Guardiola said. "Yaya will play in more attacking positions. Maybe it can happen but I have other options. Fernandinho can play there, Sagna can play there... So we have other options." City striker Sergio Aguero is a doubt for Saturday's trip to Burnley after sustaining a foot problem in Wednesday's Champions League draw with German side Borussia Moenchengladbach. "Sergio finished the game not injured but he has a problem in his foot," Guardiola said. "We played the last game not far away and we have tomorrow a game at 12.30. So I am going to wait to see his condition." Defender Pablo Zabaleta is also a doubt for Saturday's clash at Turf Moor. Wednesday's draw at Borussia Moenchengladbach ensured City will progress to the Champions League knockout stages for the fourth successive season. "People believe it's easier but you can't imagine how much tougher the Champions League is now compared to when I started with it at Barcelona," he said. "In the future, big teams won't qualify for the Champions League." City are third in the Premier League with 27 points, 13 ahead of 12th-placed Burnley after 12 games. (Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)