Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini is happy with his current squad and is not looking to add to his options or move anyone on in January.
City’s squad is one of the country’s best stocked, and in spite of continued injury issues, the Chilean manager refuted claims the Citizens were set to dip into the market.
City face Slaven Bilić’s West Ham on Saturday in East London, with the Hammers claiming a 2-1 win at the Etihad in September.
“I say once again, we are happy with the squad,” said Pellegrini. “We will not bring anyone in and no-one will go.”
With skipper Vincent Kompany still sidelined with a troublesome calf complaint, the news that in-form midfielder Fernandinho is once again fit will be welcome to City fans.
“Fernandinho is fit, he’s worked with the squad for the last two games,” confirmed the former Real Madrid boss.
“Vincent is seeing different specialists to try to learn more about his injury. He will start working, I hope, next week, but we will see.”
“[Wilfried] Bony maybe has an injury which is longer than we supposed. I hope next Monday he will start working with the squad.
“Aleks [Kolarov] has a muscle injury in his calf – not very big. I hope at the end of the next week he’ll be working with the squad.”
City currently sit third in the table, a point behind Arsenal and Leicester City having gone unbeaten in their last five Premier League games, winning three and drawing two.
West Ham occupy sixth place in the table and have lost just two of their last 10 league matches.
With star man Dimitri Payet firing after his injury, they pose a considerable threat to City.
“We have a difficult game against a very good team,” said Pellegrini.
“They beat us here at home earlier this season in a match I think we had 20 chances to score but we didn’t do it.
“I hope we will go for the three points and that we will demonstrate why we’re involved in the title.”
With their profligacy against West Ham costing them earlier in the season, the City manager was keen to insist his side’s front-foot mantra was key to the team.
“I think that our mentality is to be an attacking team.
“Maybe a lot of times you cannot score but we always create chances. If you create chances and score four goals as we did last time, I’m always happy.
“In some games, especially away, we couldn’t score so I hope tomorrow we will return, as we did against Watford, to score goals and win.
“It’s the best way to win titles for me.”
Image courtesy of BBC via YouTube, with thanks.
