Manchester City goalkeeper Nicky Weaver is not sure whether he would recover in time from a hip injury, to guard the goal as Stuart Pearce’s side face Harry Redknapp’s Portsmouth at the Fratton Park at the weekend.

27-year-old Weaver had a badly bruised hip after colliding with team-mate Richard Dunne in City's 2-0 defeat to Steve Coppell’s Reading FC last Saturday.

“There is still some bruising, but like all bangs, it will settle down, but it is still too early to say how it will be at the weekend,” he told the Manchester Evening News.

“If I was an outfield player, I would be confident of making the match, but the fact I have to dive around on it makes the situation a bit different.”

“It was a pure accident, but I cannot describe how painful it was. It was the worst pain I have experienced on a football pitch, that's for sure.”

6.6 feet tall Andreas Isaksson might get his first start for City since his arrival in the summer in case Weaver, who has missed just one game for City all season, is not fit.

The 25-year-old Sweden international has just had two substitute appearances for the Citizens as yet as Weaver had been in tremendous form.