Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott has been ruled out of the remaining games of the season.

Lescott, who joined City from Everton last summer for £22million, had been hopeful of returning before the end of the campaign and making Fabio Capello's 23-man squad.

But City boss Roberto Mancini has ruled him out of the games against Tottenham and West Ham - placing a major question mark over his hopes of going to South Africa.

"Joleon will not play for us again this season, but he will work every day and try to recover," said Mancini. "I don't know if Capello has spoken to him about the situation. But I haven't spoken to Capello for the past 15 days.

"I hope that Joleon can recover in time for the World Cup. There is time after the season finishes for him to get fit."