Manchester City vs Manchester United: David Silva Ruled out of Derby with Knee Injury

Manchester City midfielder David Silva has reportedly been ruled out for the clash against neighbours Manchester United on Sunday.

According to the Mirror, the Spanish midfielder has damaged ligaments in his knee and is certain to miss the Manchester Derby and also the crucial Champions League clash against CSKA Moscow on Wednesday.

Silva, who started in City's loss against Newcastle United in the Capital One Cup, was substituted early in the first half after he damaged his knee following a tackle form Ryan Taylor.

This injury to the Spanish international will come as a big blow to Manuel Pellegrini, who is trying to get his team out from the slump that has seen them go three games without a win, for the first time under the Chilean's reign.

Newcastle knocked them out of the League Cup and before that it was West Ham United, who caused a major upset when they beat the Premier League champions at Upton Park.

Silva has started all but one of City's games this season and will be a big miss when United visit this Sunday and with Yaya Toure also a doubt, this will be United's best chance of getting one over their arch rivals.

Meanwhile, Joe Hart has come out and defended the manager following City's latest loss against the St James' Park outfit and he has claimed the players are responsible for City's poor form in the last few games.

"We know where we are as a unit. We just need a few players, myself included, to step up and we'll be fine. We're big enough and ugly enough to know that this is football. We're prepared to fight through it and put it right," Hart said, as quoted by the Mirror.

The England No 1 has also backed Pellegrini to turn things around and is confident that the manager does not have to change his ways drastically to get back to winning ways.

"It's a good thing to have a constant. We know what kind of a guy he is and what he expects from us. He's someone who doesn't have to smash the room up to show you they're disappointed."

"He's got his standards that we try to live up to, and if we don't were just as disappointed as he is. He knows his methods and we've proved in the past playing his way works," the England international added.