Injured Manchester City defender
Pablo Zabaleta is targeting a return
to full fitness in time for his team's
trip to play second-placed Liverpool
in the Premier League on December
31.
The Argentina international was
taken off at halftime during his
team's 2-1 home over Arsenal on
Sunday with a knee injury and has ruled himself out
of the trip to Hull City on December. 26.
"Hopefully it is not too bad," the 31-year-old told
British media. "Maybe I can have an injection in there
and be ready in, I don't know, maybe 10 days. We'll
see.
"I felt it straight away after 15 minutes and I just tried
to finish the first half.
"I was with some pain in the ligament and it was a
risk to continue playing, possibly make it worse, and
that's why I came off."
Having racked up consecutive home wins in the
league for the first time since August, Zabaleta
believes third-placed City must keep stringing
together wins to put pressure on leaders Chelsea,
who are seven points ahead of them.
"We know they are on a run of games and a real solid
team at the moment, but of course we are not going
to give up. We have confidence, we have belief.
There's a long way to go until the end of the season,"
he added.
"We showed in the last two games that playing that
way we are one of those teams that can fight for the
title for sure."