PEP GUARDIOLA admitted Sergio Aguero is unlikely to be fit to start Manchester Citys Champions League showdown with Liverpool.
The Argentina striker has been sidelined with a knee problem for almost a month and is battling to be ready for the quarter-final first leg at Anfield on Wednesday.
Etihad boss Guardiola would like to have him in the 18 for the trip but says it will be touch and go whether he can.
Guardiola does not want to take a gamble with a potential title-clincher against bitter rivals Manchester United looming on Saturday.
He said: We will see about Sergio. Still he didnt train. Hopefully he is much better.
In these situations it is day by day. Hopefully he can help us. Maybe not in the beginning maybe the bench.
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We have United and after that Liverpool in the second leg. Maybe we have to change the system and have six strikers to win the game.
We need Aguero, Gabriel Jesus, Lukas Nmecha and Raheem Sterling everybody.
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Liverpool is not one game, it is 180 minutes. We need a good performance for the second leg.
Guardiola admits he fears the Reds strikeforce of Mo Salah, Robert Firmino and Sadio Mane.
All three starred when Liverpool beat City 4-3 in January.
Guardiola added: Mane, Firmino, Salah all three are almost unstoppable.
They are fantastic, fantastic players. They are so quick, they are so good and it is tough.
But it is the quarter-finals of the Champions League, we cannot expect it to be easy.