Cape Town - Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has revealed Vincent Kompany will not be fit for at least another three weeks.
The Belgium international has been blighted by injuries this season and only played 9 minutes in the past three months for the Citizens, after suffering hiss 13th calf strain since joining the club in 2008.
Kompany's absence will prove to be a major blow for Pellegrini as the centre-back looks set to miss the run in against title rivals Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur on the 6th and 14th of February respectively.
In the eight Premier league fixtures Kompany has featured in this season, City only conceded only one goal.
"Vincent is far away from a comeback as he needs at least three weeks more to recover from his muscle injury," Pellegrini told ESPN.
"After that it is not only to be fit from his injury, he must be 100 percent fit to play a game."
Kompany joined Manchester City from Hamburg in 2008 and has made 279 appearances for the club over the past 7 seasons, winning two Premier league titles.