Manchester City have suffered another major injury blow as they head to Stoke City today.
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Manuel Pellegrini has said that Manchester City are always a better team with Vincent Kompany in the side – despite also having the two most expensive centre-backs in Premier League history at his disposal.
Yaya Toure has become City’s 36th different injury victim this season but Pellegrini says his lengthy injury list will not force him into the transfer market in January.
That news is offset by the fact Joe Hart is fit and ready to return after missing the last couple of games with a hamstring problem. We had Kun [Aguero], Dzeko and Jovetic.
And, significantly for City’s hopes of maintaining their position at the top of the English Premier League, Spain midfielder David Silva and Ivory Coast forward Wilfried Bony proved they are back to full fitness by helping City thrash Hull to reach the League Cup semi-finals in midweek.
The table continues to tighten up with Manchester City and Leicester City tied atop the table and separated by just goal difference.
The deal has led to speculation that City may now look to sign one of the world’s best players, including Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, something Pellegrini refused to rule out on Friday.
‘We’ll see, ‘ said Pellegrini of Aguero who was injured in last weekend’s win over Southampton.
Stoke City, a club famed for inflicting injuries on important players is not a club you want to visit with an already depleted squad but Manchester City go there without some of their key players. “It doesn’t matter which names start as we will play the same style”.
City boss Manuel Pellegrini recently spoke of the need to be “aggressive from the start” in Stoke, “especially in the first 15 minutes”, so this could be must-see TV with a high-energy tempo.
“There are two very strong teams that are very hard to beat but after that you have three of four teams always fighting to play in the Champions League and Valencia is in those teams”. “They try to have more possession – by the characteristics of their players they still try to score with crosses but it’s a mix now”.
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“Makes a change that we are exporting coaches rather than importing them, so we wish him well”.
