Pellegrini refuses to panic buy despite City’s injury crisis
Current Premier League leaders Manchester City won the League Cup in 2014, but Everton have never lifted the trophy and Stoke have not ventured as far as the last four since they won the competition in 1972.
City, top on goal difference ahead of Leicester, could welcome back striker Sergio Aguero and goalkeeper Joe Hart from injury for the game at the Britannia Stadium where they have not lost since 2009. ‘Sergio is recovering from his heel – he had pain so it is not easy for him to work, that’s why he delays a little bit more. With Mangala, Zabaleta and Nasri already out along with team captain, Vincent Kompany Manchester City have to rely on the depth of their squad in coming weeks.
“The squad for this season is ready”.
“We do not depend on one or two players”. The most recent meeting between the clubs in a significant game outside of a standard Premier League fixture was the 2012 FA cup semi-final at Wembley which went the way of Liverpool.
“But I think he is a very good substitute and in the games he is playing, he is doing very well”.
But despite the excellent start to his City career, De Bruyne, speaking exclusively to Soccer Saturday, was surprised by how much he featured for Manuel Pellegrini’s side in the early stages of his time in Manchester. Raheem Sterling was sharp enough to punish an error and set up the excellent Kevin de Bruyne for the first, before Fabian Delph marked his first league start for the club with a goal, aided by a deflection. 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.
Pellegrini attributed the high-tempo of the Premier League for his team’s unusually high number of injuries, avoiding the opportunity to blame his medical staff.
Stoke manager Hughes told a news conference that City’s injury problems did not mean the leaders should be under-estimated.
Only four points separate Mark Hughes’ 12th-placed team from Liverpool in sixth, and Walters is determined to put their Stadium of Light disappointment behind them. He came in the summer with a massive reputation after a great time in Germany, but that had come after being at Chelsea and not getting into their team. Stoke’s own striker Peter Crouch will be missing for this clash, and possibly the remainder of the calendar year, with the hamstring injury he picked up against Sheffield Wednesday in midweek.