James Milner could be used as an emergency centre-forward during
Manchester City's injury crisis up front, Manuel Pellegrini has
confirmed.
Pellegrini will experiment with Milner, David Silva and Samir Nasri as an auxiliary front-line in training this week with his three senior strikers all out until 2015.
Sergio Aguero will be missing for at least four weeks after hurting his knee against Everton while Stevan Jovetic suffered a hamstring problem against Roma and Edin Dzeko injured his calf in the warm-up before Saturday's win at Leicester.
"We will work this week with the players to see who can play best in
that position," said Pellegrini. "It can be Silva, it can be Nasri, it
can be Milner.
"We must decide which is the best one. I always said James is a very useful player for the squad. At some moments he wants to play more but wherever he plays he is important. That is why we've kept him here."
Silva has been used as a 'false nine' by Spain while both he and Nasri have played in the No.10 role behind the main striker for City this season.
Milner has operated all the way across the midfield and finished September's draw against Chelsea as a left-back, but could now find himself the furthest man forward.
When Dzeko pulled out of the Leicester game, 18-year-old Spaniard Jose Angel Pozo was handed his first Premier League start but Pellegrini prefers not to use the teenager.
"Pozo is not a striker," he explained. "We must try to find another way to play because our strikers will be out for at least one month more."
City had four strikers until the final day of the transfer window, when Alvaro Negredo joined Valencia on a loan that will lead to a permanent deal.
They also loaned Sweden international striker John Guidetti to Celtic, for whom he has scored 11 goals.
Pellegrini will experiment with Milner, David Silva and Samir Nasri as an auxiliary front-line in training this week with his three senior strikers all out until 2015.
Sergio Aguero will be missing for at least four weeks after hurting his knee against Everton while Stevan Jovetic suffered a hamstring problem against Roma and Edin Dzeko injured his calf in the warm-up before Saturday's win at Leicester.
James Milner has played all across the midfield and even at left-back this season for City
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"We must decide which is the best one. I always said James is a very useful player for the squad. At some moments he wants to play more but wherever he plays he is important. That is why we've kept him here."
Silva has been used as a 'false nine' by Spain while both he and Nasri have played in the No.10 role behind the main striker for City this season.
Milner has operated all the way across the midfield and finished September's draw against Chelsea as a left-back, but could now find himself the furthest man forward.
When Dzeko pulled out of the Leicester game, 18-year-old Spaniard Jose Angel Pozo was handed his first Premier League start but Pellegrini prefers not to use the teenager.
"Pozo is not a striker," he explained. "We must try to find another way to play because our strikers will be out for at least one month more."
City had four strikers until the final day of the transfer window, when Alvaro Negredo joined Valencia on a loan that will lead to a permanent deal.
They also loaned Sweden international striker John Guidetti to Celtic, for whom he has scored 11 goals.
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