Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he hopes Erling Haaland will be fit for their first match of the Club World Cup on 19 December.
The Norway striker, who had started all of City’s 15 Premier League matches this season, missed Sunday’s 2-1 win at Luton Town because of a foot injury.
Asked how long Haaland would be out for, Guardiola told BBC Sport: “We don’t know. We’ll see.
“Hopefully we can recover him for the World Cup.”
City play their first match – against Mexico’s Club Leon or Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds – at the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia on 19 December. As European champions, City do not enter until the semi-finals.
Haaland is the Premier League’s leading scorer this season with 14 goals, and has 19 in all competitions for City.
Speaking before the Luton match, Guardiola said the injury was a “bone stress reaction in his foot”.
“Week by week, day by day, we will see what happens,” Guardiola said.
“Erling has been so important since he’s arrived. But during the season we see this sort of thing. Injuries, suspensions, problems – we have to adapt.”
City travel to Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday in the Champions League – they have already qualified for the last 16 – before hosting Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday.