Sergio Aguero is desperate to be ready to face Chelsea this weekend, but manager Pep Guardiola has insisted that he will not play the striker unless he is fully fit.
The striker has been suffering from a muscle adductor issue, with him complaining of tightness in the area in the last week.
His manager warned against rushing the player back to action, and has left him out of the past two match day squads; the wins at home to Bournemouth and away to Watford this past week.
After club doctors told Guardiola that his star striker risked a serious injury if he is not rested, the City boss is unwilling to play Aguero unless he is ready.
While Aguero is aware that he needs to rest and allow himself to recuperate, he is still retaining hope of being in the travelling squad for the Chelsea match.
City will know more later on Friday, with the club willing to wait until the very last moment before deciding if they will include the Argentine for the much-anticipated clash at Stamford Bridge.
Should Aguero be ruled out of the match, it is expected that Brazilian youngster Gabriel Jesus will step into the void on Saturday, although he himself is out of form since returning from injury some weeks ago.
meanwhile, midfielder Kevin de Bruyne also remains a doubt for the fixture, as he tries to make a comeback from his second lengthy knee injury of the season.