Manchester City are confident Pablo Zabaleta will only miss three games with a knee injury, while David Silva also remains on the treatment table.
Zabaleta suffered the injury in a challenge with Palace winger Wilfried Zaha in the 5-1 Capital One Cup victory over Crystal Palace on Wednesday.
He was stretchered off but after a scan Pellegrini feels he will only sit out games against Norwich, Sevilla and Aston Villa and should be available again after the international break.
Silva has failed to recover from an ankle problem in time to face Norwich on Saturday and could also sit out Tuesday's Champions League clash with Sevilla.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini had hoped the Spaniard, who was hurt playing for Spain against Luxembourg, would be back this weekend, but he is still in pain.
City will be without six injured players for the visit of Alex Neil's team, but were buoyed by the news that Zabaleta's second knee injury of the season is less serious than his first.
Pellegrini told a news conference: "Pablo has the same injury in his medial ligament, but it is not so hard as the first one he has so we have now the international break.
"Probably he will be fit to return after the international break. We have now 10 days [until the international break] and 15 days more, so in 25 days, he will be ready.
"David is not in the squad list because he still feels some pain in his ankle. He is not available. We will see every day how we improves. We have three more days until Tuesday and we will decide at the end [if he can face Sevilla]."
City are also without striker Sergio Aguero and midfielder Samir Nasri, who will be out until after the international break, with hamstring problems.
But left-back Gael Clichy could be in contention to make his first appearance of the season at Villa Park next Sunday after recovering from ankle surgery, while Fabian Delph remains on course to make his comeback.
"Sergio is continuing with his treatment," Pellegrini said. "It is a muscle injury so he needs to have the amount of days he needs to be fit.
"Fabian Delph and Clichy may be fit next week. Samir Nasri, David and Kun [Aguero] and Pablo I hope will be 100 percent [after the international break]."