Ahead of the Manchester Derby, Manchester City manager Manuel Pelligrini has refused to confirm the inclusion of captain Vincent Kompany, while playmaker David Silva remains a big doubt.
Pelligrini will not have a full strength squad to choose his team from, as his best striker Sergio Aguero is still unavailable, and David Silva’s involvement is an uncertainty. However, Kompany is available for selection, and could feature on Sunday.
Return of Kompany?
The City skipper has been unavailable since he picked up a calf injury on September 15 against Juventus in the champions league. However, after playing for Belgium in the Euro qualifiers, Pelligrini would be tempted to include his captain in such a crucial tie.
a At the beginning of the season I said Vincent and Mangala were untouchable because they were playing very well.” Pelligrini said in the prematch press conference
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“I dona t need to explain it all again. He was five weeks without playing and on his return he played 45 minutes. Hea s fit. Wea ll see when hea ll return. But I always say this team is better with Vincent than without him.a
With David Silva still doubtful, the responsibility will rest on the shoulders on Kevin de Bruyne, who has been nothing short of excellent since arriving at the Etihad. He is the best finisher from midfield, after the likes of Kaka, Zidane and Gerrard. It makes for an exciting clash, as it will be a race for top spot.