Joe Hart is hopeful of returning for Manchester City’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain on 6 April following scans on his injured calf.

Hart suffered the problem during Sunday’s 1-0 derby defeat to Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium. The goalkeeper was forced to scramble to clear an underhit backpass from Martín Demichelis in the second half and injured the muscle. This forced him off the field on 50 minutes, with Willy Caballero coming on as substitute.

The City manager, Manuel Pellegrini, said after the defeat Hart could be out for a month but the 28-year-old has been informed he may be available to face PSG in Paris.

If so this would be a considerable boost in City’s bid to reach the semi-finals and to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League. If Hart does recover for the European opening leg, he would miss only the 2 April league trip to Bournemouth immediately after the international break so could be available for the final seven matches of the league campaign.