Kompany fit for Sunderland clash, says Pellegrini

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini believes he has the strongest team in the Premier League – when all his players are fit.

They started the season well, quickly establishing themselves as favourites with five consecutive wins during which they did not concede a goal. But form since has been patchy and momentum has slowed, with Monday’s loss at title rivals Arsenal their fifth defeat of the campaign.

Pellegrini said: “Vincent has had a long recovery and we hope that he will not have more problems in the future”. We lost an important game at Arsenal, but we are involved in the title. Then we think about Leicester.

Kompany is expected to be in the squad for the first time since Nov 8 when City play at home to relegation-threatened Sunderland on Boxing Day looking for a victory to maintain pressure on both Leicester and Arsenal above them.

‘We lost, we made some mistakes but we had high possession – 63 per cent – 20 chances against eight or nine from Arsenal.

“There are no matches where you can’t win”.

“I want to do it for my family, I want to do it for these supporters”. A lot will need to change from that performance as Sunderland were very bad, with Allardyce even admitting that his side failed to compete on the day.

Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany is on the mend once again as the veteran is working his way through yet another injury.

Kompany is finally back in contention for City, as are midfielder Fernando and right-back Pablo Zabaleta.

‘I don’t want to talk about different things a player can say, ‘ he said.

Pellegrini’s opposite number, Sam Allardyce, has warned his Sunderland players that they have run out of miracles.

However, they will be encouraged that in their last match against Sunderland they barely had to escape first gear in a 4-1 romp in the League Cup back in September. [Chelsea boss] Jose’s [Mourinho] dismissal is a testament to that, isn’t it?

The ESPN FC panel discuss the struggles Manchester City have had throughout the season. “He [Pellegrini] has to either win the league or he has to get further in the Champions League than he’s ever done before, or he certainly has to win one of the trophies”.

Sunderland is nineteenth in the league with 12 points having won 3 games, drawn 3 and lost 11.

‘How can I tell you how another person will think about the situation?’ he said. What I know is that for me, it is very good to win the title.