Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus broke a metatarsal in Monday’s 2-0 Premier League win at Bournemouth.
The 19-year-old was taken off in the 15th minute at Vitality Stadium after appearing to pick up the foot injury.
City said in a statement: “He will undergo further examinations in the coming days to establish the extent of his layoff.”
The Brazil international, who completed a £27m from Palmeiras in January, has played five times for City.
Jesus was hoping to become the third City player to find the net on each of his first three Premier League starts, having scored at West Ham and two against Swansea.
The other two players to have achieved that feat are former striker Emmanuel Adebayor and and current midfielder Kevin de Bruyne.
What are metatarsals?
Metatarsals are the five long bones in the forefoot which connect the ankle bones to those of the toes.
The first is linked to the big toe and the fifth, on the outer foot, links to the little toe.
Together, the five metatarsals act as a unit to help share the load of the body, and they move position to cope with uneven ground.
Injuries usually occur as a result of a direct blow to the foot, a twisting injury or over-use.
Treatment
Medical experts recommend rest with no exercise and sport for four to eight weeks.
The patient might be asked to wear walking boots or stiff-soled shoes to protect the injury while it heals.
If the cause is over-use, then treatment can vary hugely. Training habits, equipment used and athletic technique should all be investigated.
It all depends on the damage and which metatarsal bone is involved. It is impossible to put a timescale on recovery from a stress injury.
Recovery
With an impact fracture, after the plaster and protective boot is not needed (usually after four to six weeks), it will be a case of exercise and increasing weight-bearing activities.
Ice packs, strapping and even the use of oxygen tents can be used to assist recovery.
Full return to action can be anything from another four weeks and upwards – depending on the extent of initial damage. Young bones heal quicker.
