MANCHESTER -- Manchester City midfielder Fernando has been ruled out for two weeks, which could open the door for Frank Lampard to make his debut at Arsenal on Saturday.

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The Premier League champions will also be without the injured Stevan Jovetic, but Eliaquim Mangala could be involved for the first time since signing from Porto in the summer.

Fernando, who has been an ever-present since his 12 million-pound move from Porto, suffered a groin injury in the 1-0 defeat to Stoke last month and will miss a defining week of City's season as they face Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.

Jovetic, who scored twice in City's 3-1 win over Liverpool on Aug. 25, will also sit out the Gunners clash but could be back to face Jose Mourinho's side.

"We have Fernando injured. He has a muscle problem [and is out for] maybe a couple of weeks more and also Stevan Jovetic," City manager Manuel Pellegrini told a news conference. "He came back from his national team [Montenegro] with a problem in his hamstring. I hope Stevan could be fit next week, though I am not sure."

The Chilean shrugged off fears that defenders Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta are doubts, adding: "All the rest of the players are fit. Vincent played 90 minutes for his national team [Belgium] and he works normally with the squad during the week here so he doesn't have any problems."

Lampard was signed from New York City FC on loan in the summer but has so far not been deemed fit enough to feature for Pellegrini's men.

Mangala's 32 million-pound move from Porto was only completed just before the season started and he, too, is yet to be included in a matchday squad.

But Pellegrini said: "Frank is ready. He works for about one month and he doesn't have any problems. [Mangala] is in the squad list also. We have to play three games in a week so we will see if they play in these games. Both of them are ready to do it but I can't say which games they will play or if they will play."

Arsenal beat City 3-0 at Wembley in the Community Shield last month but Pellegrini said that will have no bearing on the rematch.

"Different games, different competitions, different moments," he said. "Remember that when we played the Community Shield we had nine players out of the team because they arrived [back from the World Cup] too late to play that game."

Pellegrini believes Arsenal have strengthened with the summer arrivals of Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck, who could make his Gunners debut against City.

"They always have a very good team but this year they have more players," he said. "Alexis is a top player, that is why he has played in Italy and in Spain. I am sure that here in England he will have the same success in England as he had in all the other countries."