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Manchester City could be without influential midfielder Stephen Ireland when they make the short trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United next weekend, after the Irishman exacerbated an ankle injury in Saturday's 4-2 defeat of Arsenal at Eastlands.

Mark Hughes could be faced with picking from seriously depleted ranks for the derby with the Red Devils, as Robinho has already been ruled out of the clash with a stress fracture of the ankle and striker Carlos Tevez is out with a knee injury sustained on international duty with Argentina.

Striker Emmanuel Adebayor could also be suspended for the derby after a controversial Saturday afternoon in which the quality of his goal was overshadowed by his clash with Robin van Persie and his celebration.

"On Saturday it was touch and go whether he went out for the second-half, so we had to get him off," Hughes revealed about Ireland, who had picked up the injury during the Citizens' win over Portsmouth at Fratton Park a fortnight ago.

As for the game with United, the man who spent such a significant part of his career with the Red Devils was excited at the prospect of returning to Old Trafford to face his former club, adding: "We are really looking forward to it.

"You have to play against the big four with confidence and a real feeling that you can get something out of the game, and the way we are at the moment in terms of confidence, we couldn't be going there in better shape.

"When Arsenal pulled it back to 1-1 on Saturday, it was without doubt the kind of situation from which we would have lost last season.

"What we have now is huge in terms of the difference in mentality the team has.

"That is the really reassuring thing, because there will be times in the season when we struggle, but if we show the qualities we showed on Saturday it will sustain us for the season."