Striker Bellamy, who made an immediate impact after arriving from West Ham in the January transfer window, has missed the last three matches after a knee injury recurred in the 3-1 UEFA Cup first-leg defeat at Hamburg.
Manager Hughes is virtually resigned to writing his 29-year-old hit man out of the script until next season. He said: “Craig has got to have complete rest for two weeks then he comes back for strength work. Hopefully he might get the last couple of games, but the probability is that he won’t.”
Bellamy, who had problems with the knee on international duty as Wales captain last month, fired goals against Middlesbrough and Liverpool on linking up again with his former boss at Wales and Blackburn Rovers.
He also claimed a vital pair in the UEFA Cup tie against Copenhagen that kept City on the trail of a first European quarter-final in 30 years, but he injured his knee against old club West Ham at the start of March.
City’s injury troubles up front have eased with the return to fitness of bright young prospect Danny Sturridge, who came on as a substitute on Sunday against West Brom to claim his first goal since the end of December.
Shaun Wright-Phillips is still struggling to recover from the ankle damage that has ruled him out of the last three games. Hughes said: “He had a bang on the bone and it’s still sore but the scan was positive. Once the swelling in and around the injury has settled then hopefully he’ll be an option again.”
But Pablo Zabaleta’s hamstring injury is a cause for concern after the Argentine limped off near the end on Sunday. “We’ve probably lost him for a number of games,” admitted Hughes.
Meanwhile striker Valeri Bojinov, a long-term casualty finally back in the mix, plays for the reserves tonight at Middlesbrough after being left off the bench against Albion. Hughes said: “He’s still a little bit short. He needs more physical work, and we’re hoping he comes through at Boro to be available at the weekend.”
