Yaya toure and new signing Wilfried Bony could come to the rescue of crisis-hit Manchester City's for the Premier League title showdown with fellow FA Cup flops Chelsea.
If Toure and Bony's African Nations Cup is cut short they could be back in time for Chelsea clash
Ivory Coast will crash out of the African Nations Cup on Wednesday if they lose to Cameroon, meaning key pair Toure and Bony could fly back to Britain on Thursday or Friday.
Defeat by Chelsea could end City's title hopes and boss Manuel Pellegrini admits his team have problems in defence and attack following their shock fourth round exit to Middlesbrough - which came on the back of the home League setback to Arsenal.
"I am worried that we are conceding too many goals and we are not scoring enough," he said.
"After Middlesbrough scored their first goal we had disorder. "The problem is that we had to change our style of play because we didn't have the strikers for around a month.
"Now the strikers are coming back we have to return to the way we normally play but they need time to find their best form. I hope we can recover during the week and get back to normal."
Pellegrini refused to accept that his decision to delay his squad's arrival back from a warm-weather training week in Abu Dhabi until Friday evening - less than 24 hours before kick-off - was the reason for their defeat to Boro.
"Everyone can have their opinion but I don't agree it was the reason we lost," he said. "Chelsea and Tottenham both lost and they didn't go to Abu Dhabi."
But he effectively admitted he wouldn't have got back so late had they been playing Jose Mourinho's team the next day. "I don't want to say because you are asking me something that is not relevant. It was not a game against Chelsea."
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