Manuel Pellegrini: Tottenham Hotspur fixture is “not a decisive game”

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini admits they have long-term injury concerns for Vincent Kompany.

Manuel Pellegrini is ready to welcome back Vincent Kompany for Manchester City – but accepts there are no guarantees he will not break down again.

“We’ll see what the starting XI is tomorrow [Saturday]”, he said.

“But we are involved in all the competitions without important players so I don’t want to focus on four players or one player”. “Maybe we have a lot of criticism when we don’t play well but I’m happy with the squad over the whole season”.

“Every player must play a game when they’re 100%”.

He said: “It’s impossible to know, but he’s working without any problems, without fear, so it would be bad luck if he has another injury”. This game will really test the quality of the players but I have high hopes that the likes of Dele Ali, Erik Lamela, Christain Erikson and Harry Kane will be up for the challenge.

Fabien Delph has also been ruled out for at least six weeks with an achilles tendon injury while Bacary Sagna will miss the Spurs game due to a minor knee problem. He needs six or seven weeks to recover.

Wayne Rooney recently came second in a fans’ vote to decide January’s Player of the Month, while the inexperienced likes of Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial have also impressed of late.

City could certainly do with one of the world’s best centre-backs in their team on Sunday, as they prepare for a crunch tie against Tottenham, who sit one point above them in the league. “David Silva is okay”, Pellegrini told reporters. Two or three teams are in front of us in this moment so we must try to reclaim the points. It’s very important but it’s not the last game. To arrive at the end to be in the position we are you need to win games.

It is going to be hard for City because, along with the attacking threat of Harry Kane and Dele Alli, Tottenham’s success is based on a top-class goalkeeper in Hugo Lloris and a very good defence. It’s not the last game.

This weekend could be a pivotal one in the campaign with City’s home clash with Spurs coming on the same day Leicester travel to Arsenal.