Joe Hart will miss Manchester City’s game at home to Southampton on Saturday with a hamstring strain, giving deputy goalkeeper Willy Caballero a welcome opportunity to show that he can be a safe pair of hands.

Hart was assessed by City’s medical staff yesterday on Thursday after the squad flew home from Turin, having limped off in the latter stages of a 1-0 Champions League defeat by Juventus on Wednesday night.

The England keeper later confirmed that he felt a little tightness in his right hamstring and manager Manuel Pellegrini is not prepared to gamble on his fitness.

England and Manchester City No 1 Joe Hart has been in impressive form in the early stages of this seaosn

Willy Caballero replaced Joe Hart in the closing stages of Manchester City's 1-0 defeat to Juventus

Caballero, who was already set to take over in goal for Tuesday’s Capital One Cup quarter-final against Hull City, will now play at least the next two games.

The 34-year-old Argentine has not always proved to be the most reliable of replacements, most recently struggling in the 4-1 defeat at Tottenham in September.

It was Caballero’s only Premier League appearance of the season after Hart was sidelined with the back complaint that City suspect may be linked to his hamstring injury, and the former Malaga keeper admits that he is desperate to make amends.

The England star will sit out City's clash with Southampton at the weekend due to a hamstring strain

‘It’s a nice opportunity for me to play a couple of games consecutively,’ said Caballero. ‘I will train tomorrow and I will be ready.

‘Always when you play badly or commit errors, you hope to play another game to put it behind you, to show that you are capable and that you deserve to be playing for an important team like City. Hopefully that chance will come and I will be able to do that.’

Asked if he finds it difficult being back-up keeper, Caballero replied: ‘Sometimes, yes, sometimes no, if you’re training well and you’re prepared.

Caballero struggled in his sole Premier League appearance of the season, a 4-1 defeat at Tottenham

‘You see the truth in a real game. In my last one, I made a mistake, but these things can happen even if you’re playing every week.

‘What happened to me, when I have not had the chance to avenge that error the following week, the whole world still thinks about it. But what is important is to be calm and work every day and wait.’

Manuel Pellegrini has to contend with a mounting injury list at the Etihad Stadium

David Silva could return from an ankle injury on Saturday, but City are still set to be without captain Vincent Kompany, Wilfried Bony, Pablo Zabaleta, Eliaquim Mangala and Samir Nasri as well as Hart.

Sympathetic Southampton boss Ronald Koeman admitted: ‘Teams like City are used to having that pressure about winning games, but even for City it’s difficult handle the number of injuries they have now.’