Johnson hurt himself in training at the end of January, giving Mancini barely any time to find a replacement. Although the 23-year-old did not always get on with his manager, Mancini retained a healthy respect for Johnson, and was always aware of the talent that could unlock defences. However, after Sunday's 1-1 draw with Fulham, Mancini confirmed Johnson will be missing for at least another month, and they need him back badly. "After Adam Johnson got injured we had a big problem because he is different to the other players," said Mancini. "We don't have anyone else like that but he won't be back for another month." To make matters worse for City, David Silva is currently sidelined after he started to experience pain in an ankle he needed surgery on a couple of years ago, whilst Shaun Wright-Phillips, an unused substitute on Sunday, is plagued by a back injury that leaves him able to complete only 20 minutes of a first-team game. In addition to those problems, Vincent Kompany, Micah Richards, Nigel de Jong and Shay Given are currently absent, with England midfielder James Milner nursing his way back to full fitness after recent hamstring problems. Little wonder Mancini has scrapped the idea of practice, preferring instead to dedicate the two spare days his side get between matches at present purely to recovery. "We are so tired and fatigue is a factor," said Mancini. "At the moment, we need all the players available because one match every three days, week after week, is very hard. "But I can't keep the players fresh because we only have 14 players. "We can't practice. It is not possible to train. "We prepare for matches but we only have 48 hours to recover. It is a big problem." Given the resources at his disposal, few will have any sympathy for Mancini, whose decision to release Wayne Bridge and Roque Santa Cruz on loan during the January transfer window is not looking the most astute move. Indeed, it could be argued Mancini should have made more use of his squad during the early weeks of the season, rather than stick largely to the same group of players. The Italian certainly does not have any wriggle room in terms of the competitions City are playing in. As they pass 35 years without a trophy, no silverware can be passed up, so he must send out a strong side to face Aston Villa in Wednesday's FA Cup fifth round tie, knowing a home quarter-final against Everton or Reading is the prize. Next week, the Blues have a Europa League trip to Dynamo Kiev and in between there is a Premier League encounter with relegation-threatened Wigan, so a draw, which would condemn the Blues to a Villa Park replay next Monday, must be avoided. "It is starting to get tough," said Mancini. "The priorities are third place and to win a cup. "It is important to be in the cup competitions but it is also important that we reach the Champions League. "Now Tottenham are three points behind with a game in hand, Chelsea have two. It will be hard but we are third and we should do everything to stay there."
