Manuel Pellegrini is confident Vincent Kompany is not mentally scarred by having continually to return from injury as the Manchester City captain makes his latest comeback at Newcastle.
Kompany has not played since suffering a knee problem in the goalless draw with Dynamo Kyiv on March 15th. This was the 32nd separate injury that has struck the Belgian since he joined City in August 2008.
Pellegrini has included Kompany in the squad for Newcastle, along with Raheem Sterling, who has not featured since injuring a groin muscle in the 1-0 defeat by Manchester United on March 20th.
Strong player
The manager said Kompany could start at St James’ Park.
“He is a very strong player mentally so seeing him working – and we delayed a little bit his return to the first team – I think he is without any problems and he is working 100 per cent with normality. . .”
Pellegrini added: “We are going to see tomorrow, just finish talking with him and the doctor, but I think that now he is ready to start.”
He is clear Kompany should not have to tailor his game to reduce the chances of further problems.
“It’s difficult. I think he must continue playing the same way because it’s the way he feels football, that is the way he must work every day and he is a very temperamental player so I don’t think he will change,” said Pellegrini.
“I think he’s able to play two games a week. It’s not the same muscle, not the same leg or injury. Maybe he must review a lot of things, as other players do, to try to have less injuries. But when he’s fit I think he can play two or three games a week without a problem.”
Pellegrini is also optimistic that Sterling can be at his best instantly. The forward hopes to hit peak form for England’s challenge at Euro 2016, just as Kompany does for Belgium.
“I hope that he will return in his best performance the best way he started the season – he started very well,” Pellegrini said of Sterling. “After that, for different reasons, he couldn’t keep his performance but now in these seven games I hope he will have an important role.”
Sergio Agüero scored the seventh hat-trick of his City career in City’s 3-0 win at Chelsea on Saturday. It took him to 21 Premier League goals, one behind Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy and Harry Kane of Spurs. Agüero won the golden boot as the competition’s top scorer last season with 26 goals. One more this season and the Argentinian will have 100 Premier League goals.
“He is just behind Kane and Vardy so he is fighting to be the top scorer this year also. And the way he is playing, especially the last game, I am sure it will be difficult for the other strikers to keep up with his performances.” Guardian Service
