Kolarov ruled out four weeks

Per the Mail:

Manchester City defender Aleksandar Kolarov has been ruled out for four weeks with a groin problem.

Left-back Kolarov suffered a knock prior to City's Carling Cup quarter-final win at Arsenal last week and played just over half an hour before being substituted.

The Serbia international will miss December's crucial Barclays Premier League clashes at Chelsea and at home to Arsenal, plus the fixtures against Stoke and West Brom either side of Christmas.

The left back spot is probably the one that Roberto Mancini has rotated most of all this season but this injury comes at a time when the side is facing its heaviest period of fixtures so expect to see plenty of Gael Clichy over the next few weeks.

Mancini of course does have other options - namely Pablo Zabaleta and (less likely) Joleon Lescott - who could full in during Kolarov's absence, but he will hope to have the Serbian back sooner rather than later heading into 2012.