Manchester City boss Mark Hughes has sent his club doctor to Argentina to protect his players from Diego Maradona!

The Mirror says Hughes dispatched Jamie Butler on the 7,000-mile trip to South America to liaise with Maradona's medical team over the injured Pablo Zabaleta.

Zabaleta strained his hamstring in Monday's draw at Aston Villa and Maradona has insisted he is checked over by the Argentinian medical team.

Maradona may be tempted to try and play the defender in Argentina's two must-win World Cup qualifiers at home to Peru on Saturday and away to Uruguay on Wednesday.

Hughes is keen to build relations with Argentina and has sent Butler for face-to-face talks.

Butler, Zabaleta and Carlos Tevez, who injured his knee on his last international trip with Argentina, jetted out from Birmingham airport straight after Monday's game at Villa Park.

Hughes hopes Maradona will see sense and allow him to return to Carrington on the next flight from Buenos Aires.

"Everybody these days has to turn up for international duty," said the City manager. "Pablo has had to fly to Argentina, but he will probably be on the first flight back."