Manuel Pellegrini on victory over Sunderland and Vincent Kompany’s injury

Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce insists he is under as much pressure Pellegrini, if for vastly different reasons.

Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne wants the injury to Vincent Kompany to be used as motivation to take the Premier League top spot. However, the managers did have one thing in common – they both endured spells each lasting nine minutes that proved extremely damaging. Having failed to nail down a place in the side, he went on loan to Sunderland for the 2010-11 season, helping them to a top half finish and scoring his only goal with a great solo effort in a famous 3-0 victory at Chelsea.

Kompany’s injury somewhat spoiled a match in which City dominated throughout. “He was ready to return, but I did not want him to play the whole game”, Pellegrini said. They and everyone realize just how crucial the center-back is to City’s chances of landing a third title in five seasons.

The victory was somewhat overshadowed by the fact that defender and captain Vincent Kompany exited after just nine minutes on the pitch due to injury, however. “It leaves me more frustrated than with any of the “big” injuries I’ve had but it’s a challenge I will overcome”.

“Then we think about Leicester. We lost important points against Arsenal – a game of six points – but it was not a decisive game as I said before the match”.

He added: “He’s very important because first of all he is captain”.

But Claudio Ranieri’s team silenced their critics with another superb performance as they more than held their own against Pellegrini’s men. And, this season, his reliability.

“I hope we will play like we finished last season without Vincent – keeping clean sheets and winning”.

“Our team with him is stronger, but without Vincent we must try to continue being competitive”.

However, in Pellegrini’s eyes, the replacement combinations of Nicolas Otamendi, Eliaquim Mangala and Martin Demichelis are showing signs of improvement. “It is an important challenge for other players”.

Sterling found the back of the net in the 12th minute, as he headed the ball past Black Cats goalkeeper Vito Mannone off a handsome feed from De Bruyne. “We are going to do all the tests that he needs to understand why it is happening”. “Hopefully it is not too bad but mentally it will be very hard for him”, said De Bruyne. The £54m outlay for him was huge, but seems justified. The Citizens have not been playing to the best of their abilities but the game against Sunderland could prove to be a turning point for the Manchester club.

The hosts should have had a fifth goal after that, but Bony lifted his penalty over the bar after Coates appeared to have fouled Silva just outside the area. “Whether we can find one good enough is another matter”.

He would now be looking to buy centre-halves and he would probably be shopping overseas.