Manchester City face anxious wait on Sergio Aguero fitness after striker suffers hamstring injury

Both Manchester City and Manchester United have been hit with fitness concerns following the first night of the latest round of international fixtures, as Sergio Aguero and Bastian Schweinsteiger sustained injuries. With Argentina already missing talisman Lionel Messi due to a ligament tear in his left knee, Aguero was carried off after just 20 minutes of a 2-0 South American World Cup Qualifying defeat to Ecuador in Buenos Aires clutching his hamstring and was reportedly in tears in the dressing room.

"He had been carrying a knock with his club, during the week we took good care of him," national manager Gerardo Martino said afterwards, as reported by the Manchester City's official website. "He was moving around the pitch well, but unfortunately he felt some discomfort and we are going to lose him. I haven't spoken to the doctor but I can confirm the injury is not the same as the one he had been carrying with his club."

Aguero notched five goals in just 20 minutes during City's thumping Premier League victory over Newcastle United last weekend, and to be without his services for any significant length of time would come as a major blow to Manuel Pellegrini. The 27-year-old is likely to be ruled out of Argentina's next fixture against Paraguay on Wednesday and must surely now be a doubt for his club's clash with Bournemouth three days later.

As for Schweinsteiger, he looked set to captain Germany during their penultimate Euro 2016 qualifier against the Republic of Ireland at the Aviva Stadium, only for a thigh injury to rule him out of contention. On his chances of making a swift recovery for the visit of Georgia this weekend, head coach Joachim Low said: "For Schweinsteiger I will need to see. [Medical staff] said two or three days rest."

The former Bayern Munich stalwart has made eight appearances in all competitions since moving to Old Trafford and started in each of United's last two matches, against Wolfsburg and Arsenal. The Red Devils travel to Everton on 17 October as they seek to recover from the comprehensive 3-0 loss suffered at the Emirates Stadium last time out.