Manuel Pellegrini has warned the Football Association that he will select an under-strength Manchester City team for their FA Cup tie against Chelsea unless the English game's governing body bow to his scheduling demands.

City manager Pellegrini is unhappy that his side's FA Cup fifth round trip to Stamford Bridge could be moved back a day to Sunday February 21 to accomodate television networks.

With City planning to travel to Ukraine the following day ahead of the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie against Dynamo Kiev on February 24, Pellegrini would much prefer to play the Chelsea match on the Friday or Saturday.

The Chilean is also aware that City are due to face Liverpool in the League Cup final at Wembley the following weekend and is willing to sacrifice the FA Cup by sending out a young team against Chelsea to spare his stars the draining effects of travel and fatigue in such a critical week.

The situation is further complicated because Chelsea's neighbours Fulham play in the Championship at 1500 GMT on the Saturday and police would be unwilling to sanction another kick-off close to that time.

Moving it to the Friday would likely run the risk of complaints from Chelsea who play in the Champions League themselves at Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday 16.

"I'm very worried for a lot of things. First and foremost, if we have to play that game on that Sunday, we will not play with our (full-strength) team, we will play with a young team," Pellegrini told reporters on Friday.

"We have to travel to Ukraine on Monday, so I don't see any reason why we can't play on the Saturday. Chelsea play their Champions League game on the Tuesday before.

"So if we have to play on the Sunday, we will have to see which players will have to play.

"I don't want to analyse why, but I think if we have to play against Chelsea four days before, we should play on the Saturday."

In his three seasons at City, Pellegrini has usually fielded strong teams in the domestic knockout cups.

But with City still alive in four competitions this term, Pellegrini feels he will have to prioritise and the FA Cup is evidently last on his list.

"If we play on the Sunday, we have to put Manchester City's interests first. For me, I must do what I feel is best for the club, to play with the strongest team we can in the Champions League," he said.

"Also, if we continue in the FA Cup, we will have to postpone two Premier League games (later in the season), and there is no option to play those games in midweek."