Manchester City has admitted it doesn't expect Martin Petrov to be fit enough to make a first-team return until mid- March.

The winger has been forced to have surgery on his left knee after picking up the injury while on international duty with Bulgaria last month.

A brief statement on the club's official website read: "It was hoped that an initial spell of strengthening work around the knee might have prevented surgery, but Mark Hughes' thoughts that an operation would be needed have now come to fruition.

"Martin is recovering well but it looks as though he will now be out of the reckoning for the next three to four months."

Hughes had said earlier this month: "Martin is going back to Spain to see his surgeon. The feeling is that the strengthening work we've been doing is not, unfortunately, going to be the answer.

"He's going to go and see if there's been any progress and whether we are to continue with what we have been doing.

"If the decision is that he needs an operation, then so be it. It won't end his season, but it will be a significant length of time that he will be out, three or four months most probably."

Meanwhile, City have revealed that Joe Hart could miss the next four weeks with the ankle injury he picked up in the 2-2 draw at Hull City on Sunday.

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