Shaun Goater can't wait for the return of injured strike partner Paulo Wanchope.

Goater, who is in action for Manchester City against Barnsley tonight, has been the lone targetman for the Blues since the Costa Rican was sidelined seven games ago.

And he is counting down the days until the expected return to the ranks of Wanchope in four weeks time.

Wanchope is hoping to be available for City's trip to Ewood Park for their Worthington Cup clash with Premiership Blackburn Rovers on November 28.

Goater and Wanchope hit 18 goals in City's first 10 games of the season.

But boss Kevin Keegan admitted after the 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest on Sunday that, while Darren Huckerby had played well, the side was missing the physical presence of Wanchope. As a result, Goater has had to change his role and his goals ratio has suffered.

The 31-year-old rattled in 12 goals in the nine games in which he was partnered with Wanchope.

However, in the last seven Goater has scored just four goals.

The statistics tell their own story, said Keegan.

"Shaun is missing the partnership with Paulo Wanchope and he has had to adapt and to change the way he is playing. He has done that very genuinely and we are relying on him even more now in Paulo's absence," he said.

"Paulo was there to get hold of the ball for us, to back into people and get flick-ons. When the two of them are there it gives defenders problems.

"Normally every team has a dominant player at the back to win things in the air, as Forest had in our last game with Jon Olav Hjelde.

"He was able to pick Shaun up, but had Paulo been there then he wouldn't have known which one to mark. There is no doubt that we have missed Paulo, but he should be back in four weeks."

City are seven points off the league leaders, Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are on 31 points with Crystal Palace and Coventry a point behind.

The City chief knows it is time that City made their move if they are to close the gap.

"Of course we want to be in the automatic promotion position, but I honestly believe we are in the league position in which we deserve to be. The table isn't lying in our case," he said.

"We haven't quite been good enough to earn the right to be in the top two or three.

"We have played some excellent football at times which makes you believe that we are capable of getting there. There is room for improvement but we mustn't hide the fact that there has been some very good things in our play this season."