Manchester City’s injury problems have worsened with the news that striker Sergio Aguero is struggling to walk.

City face Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League on Tuesday night looking to recover some form after Saturday’s Premier League defeat at Stoke City.

But manager Manuel Pellegrini revealed on Monday that Aguero will still be missing as he tries to recover from a heel injury.

Manchester City’s injury problems have worsened with news that striker Sergio Aguero is struggling to walk

Aguero picked up the injury during the recent Premier League clash against Southampton at the Etihad

Pellegrini revealed that Aguero will miss the Champions League game against Borussia Monchengladbach

It is understood that Aguero is also likely to miss Saturday’s league game against Swansea and Pellegrini said: ‘It is an injury that he cannot work on.

‘He needs time to recover. It is not a serious injury but it is a pain injury. We will have to see how he improves in the next week.’

Pellegrini confirmed that Aguero is currently struggling to put any pressure on his heel and is restricted to work in the swimming pool.

City, who have already qualified for the knockout stage, will also be without captain Vincent Kompany but Pellegrini refused to accept that his team are simply not good enough without their stars.

Nicolas Otamendi must find form as he fills in for captain Vincent Kompany who keeps picking up injuries

Pellegrini (right) looks on with Manchester City assistant manager Ruben Cousillas during training

The Manchester City players are put through their paces as they prepare for their upcoming European clash

England and Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart springs to his left as he trains with his team-mates

‘I don’t agree,’ he said. ‘The whole season there are a lot of games we played without our important players. Last season we finished the last six games without Vincent Kompany.

'We won the six and had four clean sheets. I analyse the performance of the players with them, not with the press.’

Pellegrini can hardly be blamed for refusing to agree that his back-up players are not good enough, especially when many of them cost so much money.

Nevertheless, the statistics relating to games City play with or without their captain in particular are startling.

In all competitions this season, City have won eight, drawn two and lost just one of the games they have played with Kompany in the team.

In these games, City concede an average of half a goal a match. When the Belgian has not played, Pellegrini’s team have won seven and lost five games, conceding an average of 1.7 goals per game.

With Kompany struggling to shake off the habit of picking up muscle injuries, Martin Demichelis – missing through injury – Nicolas Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala must find better form if City’s season is to end successfully.

Pellegrini, meanwhile, believes his team’s problems are more to do with the number of games they have played.

‘This will be the fifth game we play in less than 15 days,’ he said. ‘We have had less than 72 hours to recover between games and it’s too many games for the same players.

Manchester City No 1 Hart sees the funny side as the Premier League side prepare for European action

Kevin de Bruyne (right) looks to block a pass as Manchester City prepare for Borussia Moenchengladbach

Pellegrini believes his team’s problems are down to the number of games they have played recently

Eliaquim Mangala (left) is also a defender that needs to raise his game for Manchester City manager Pellegrini

‘Nevertheless we need an important result tomorrow (Tuesday). It is important to try and finish at the top of the group.

‘If you talk about Saturday’s game, of course you must be concerned not only how we defend but how we attack. The whole team didn’t defend well but we didn’t attack well also.

‘But if you tell me we lost the last two or three games 4-3 or 5-4 then it would be different. We didn’t do well against Tottenham or Liverpool and lost those games but we have had a lot of clean sheets also. We are just not a consistent team in some games.’