Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli will miss Manchester City's FA Cup third round match against Manchester United on Sunday with an ankle problem, while City are also still waiting on clearance for Yaya and Kolo Touré.

Balotelli continues to be troubled by the injury that prevented him from playing against both Sunderland and Liverpool, and will not be ready to face United.

The Touré brothers, meanwhile, are due to report for duty at the Africa Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast. However City's manager Roberto Mancini has asked that they be allowed to miss a team meeting in Paris on Saturday, and the first part of a two-week training camp in Abu Dhabi that begins on Sunday.

"We have asked whether Kolo and Yaya can stay with us and then they can go to Abu Dhabi," said Mancini. "We are waiting for an answer and I expect to know either today or tomorrow."

Mancini said he had made the request due to a lack of players, claiming he may not have enough bodies to fill his substitutes bench at the weekend. Besides Balotelli, Gareth Barry is suspended and Owen Hargreaves is not match fit.

"We have 17 players," said Mancini. "I do not know how it is going to work."