​Kompany happy to fight for his spot at City

However, the Man City captain wouldn’t have a problem “defying” his club boss again and would play for his country if he genuinely felt he was physically fit. “For now, the past and the future, it’s always going to be a little bit of a tricky situation”, said Kompany, who is also captain of Belgium.

“I am satisfied with a point but I don’t like to play in this way”. “But I’m a professional and I don’t need too much explanation”.

“I dealt with my decision and I didn’t have a problem with it. It’s fine”.

And the player himself dismissed claims that he had fallen out with his manager over the matter.

‘I am not punishing Vincent and I don’t have any problem with relationship with him’.

The Belgian accepted his demotion without questioning his manager, it seems.

“I can imagine it is very hard for the referee so it is not a big issue”.

“There are always seven or eight teams that are involved in the battle for winning trophies each year so it forces you to try and be 100 per cent in every game”. “It’s not that, at 29, I need too much explanation any more”. United have got a good team, they’ve got good players and a system that they’re getting used to. “For me, I’m a team player and we all want to achieve the same thing in the end”.

“It’s always been the case at City that it is a challenge to win a regular place and there have been many defenders for the position since I’ve been there”.

Pellegrini believed the defender needed more time to recover from a calf injury that had ruled him out of the previous five club games. But I could win a title and everyone will say we played very well and I can be not happy with the way we do it. Everyone thinks if you win the title you are the best team but to me it doesn’t work like that.

United finished strongly, with substitute Jesse Lingard striking the crossbar before Chris Smalling drew a sharp save from Joe Hart.

Gary Neville might have been entranced but Vincent Kompany admits the Manchester derby was spoiled by must-not-lose tactics.

He said: “Don’t forget that both teams wanted to protect a good position in the league”.

“I was disappointed to be left out of the teamm but it is all about opinions”, Kompany said.

“We came wanting three points but respect to Manchester United, we had to defend well and limited them to two half-chances”.