City hope injured de Bruyne won't be out for season

Manchester City head coach Manuel Pellegrini believes his midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, who injured his right knee in the League Cup semi-final win over Everton, won't be out for the rest of the football season.

The 24-year-old Belgian on Wednesday scored one and set up another as City grabbed a 3-1 victory in turn making it to the final of the tournament 4-3 on aggregate.

However, de Bruyne had to be stretchered off the field in second half injury time for a knock on the knee.

"The doctor thinks, but he cannot be sure, that it's a problem in his medial ligament. We'll see how it is but it's impossible to know before tomorrow (Thursday). I'm optimistic he won't be out for the rest of the season. We'll see how important the damage is. It's not the cruciate ligament, it's the medial we think," Pellegrini was quoted as saying by the club's official website on Wednesday.

"Kevin has been a very important player all season. He didn't start this game as we have nine games between now and next month."

Pellegrini said that the injury looked serious but did not know the extent of it.

"It is difficult to know. He is with the doctor, it could be the medial ligament. Tomorrow we will have more news but it is not a nice injury," he said.

City will now face Liverpool in next month's final at Wembley.