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Iheanacho replaces Nasri in Manchester City’s Champions League squad

“We are still in three competitions and we will try every time to get a team out to pass the round”, he told the club website. We need him because of Bony’s injury.

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Nasri, who has been out of action with a hamstring injury for three months, has been replaced in the squad by young City sensation Kelechi Iheanacho.

Kelechi Iheanacho scored a hat-trick as Manchester City eased into the fifth round of the FA Cup by thrashing beleaguered Aston Villa.

The Super Eagles player, who have scored five goals for Manchester City prior to Saturday’s fixture, has now taken his tally to eight in all competition, with just five starts.

“To score a hat trick is not easy but I’m impressed because I see him in the way he works every day and how he’s improving in every session working with these important players”.

“I need to build my confidence if I’m going to play in the team”.

“That has to be our first priority and I think our attention needs to be on the fact that he’s the big difference between what Man City have been doing in terms of results”. We couldn’t take the risk to go into the last 16 game with just Kun. “If we continue in the FA Cup, if you want to arrive to the final we have at least two (Premier League) games more suspended so it’s hard if you continue in the Champions League to find a day where you can play all those games”, he added.

Manuel Pellegrini is prepared to add Kelechi Iheanacho to Manchester City’s Champions League squad and ranks the forward as one of the most talented youngsters he has coached.

Raheem Sterling finished the rout in the second half after Iheanacho’s goals, which included a first-half penalty, to leave bottom side Villa to focus on Barclays Premier League survival and a possible late transfer window deal.

Iheanacho got the scoring going early for the visitors in the fourth minute, after Aston Villa failed to clear the ball out of their defensive box.

Have Villa shown they can stay up?

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The Anfield club entertain West Ham in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday having already tasted cup success this week when a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Stoke carried them through to the League Cup final meeting with Manchester City next month. I have not too many details on that.

Man of the match- Kelechi Iheanacho Three goals from three shots on target clinical Iheanacho took the match ball home