Kompany, Sterling back for Magpies clash

Skoorb

Skoorb

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City have skipper Vincent Kompany and winger Raheem Sterling back in the squad for the Premier League trip to Newcastle.

Kompany (calf) and Sterling (groin) have been out for around a month but are ready to return to action against the relegation-battling Magpies.

Boss Manuel Pellegrini must do without Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy, David Silva and Samir Nasri for the match though.

Kompany’s return provides the Chilean boss with a welcome selection headache, with both Eliaquim Mangala and Nicolas Otamendi in fine form of late.

Pellegrini said: "I’ve said that in a season where we are fighting for important things, it’s because we have a good squad.

"Kompany has been injured so the other defenders have done well, but he will be an important help for the defence."

On the prospect of Sterling starting the game at St James’ Park, Pellegrini added: "We’ll see, he’s coming back from an important injury, we’ll see if he can play some minutes."

Pellegrini allayed fears over Frenchman Nasri, who has been so effective since his return from a six-month lay off, after he came off with a problem against Chelsea.

"He played 90 minutes at the weekend and then another 75, maybe it was too much," admitted the manager. "He was feeling well, it’s a small muscle injury, it’s not too important, we’ll see how many days."

City go into the game with Newcastle in great form after following up their Champions League victory over PSG with a thumping win at Chelsea on Saturday.

Rafa Benitez' charges are in good spirits too, though, after their 3-0 win over Swansea.

"The team are just focused on what we need to do," Pellegrini declared. "We need a Champions League spot for next season, and to focus on Real in the semi final.

"Newcastle are very dangerous, they have good players, St James’ is difficult place to play. They need the points in their survival battle. I hope we continue as we did on Saturday, being aggressive and trying to win from the beginning."

He added: "It’s not depending on what Newcastle can do. We must continue the way we played on Saturday, solid, keeping a clean sheet and scoring goals. If we continue like that it doesn’t matter who we play."

http://www.mcfc.co.uk/News/Team-news/2016/April/Newcastle-v-City-Pellegrini-press-conference/1460975680
 
I'm a bit torn on this news.

We want some minutes in VK's legs to see if he can stand up to Ronaldo and co, for me Sterling should take longer off ;-) he's an impact sub at best.

The other side of me says, why change a winning team after Saturday's performance, with the exception of Nasri, who I hope will be back quickly, he's been really good.
 
The Kompany decision would seem to be the hardest but I am not for breaking up the partnership between Otamendi and Mangala at present. Starting them again will give them a confidence boost as well.

I would always think it is best to play a someone returning from injury at the start of the game after they have had their long pre-match warm up rather than the gentle jog they indulge in before coming on as a sub......but given that he broke down against Kiev only minutes after the game started then WTF do I know? Depending upon the state of the game i would give him some time as a sub.
 
Good points made above and I agree with seac, these two NO and EM have got their act together and it may simply be a case of just getting enough games with each other that they have an understand and our much maligned pairing are doing OK.
 
On the prospect of Sterling starting the game at St James’ Park, Pellegrini added: "We’ll see, he’s coming back from an important injury, we’ll see if he can play some minutes.

Isn't this Manuel speak for he's not ready yet?
 
Aye could be but I thought this was Manuel speak for Yaya not starting last Saturday:

“Yaya, 100 per cent fit is an important player and can make a difference starting or playing 30 minutes"
 
Bluedub - 18/4/2016 13:59

Sterling for Nasri, job's a good 'un.
Click to expand...

If Nasri was half fit , I'd rather have him than Stirling.

I'll see you a Sterling , and raise you a Nacho :005:
 
Don't think Sterling will start, an impact player with low impact. Kompany also will get a late run maybe as an extra defensive mid.
 
Low impact, just like the 21 goals he's either scored or assisted this season?


Edit: that's a fifth of our total goals scored.
 
Mangala and Otamendi partnership in league games started together:

Played 11, won 8, drew 1 and lost 2.

Over 38 games that would equate to 86 points.
 
Indeed.

.....and I thought our defense was rubbish without Vincent Kompany. :103:

Funny how these stats don't seem to be highlighted by any of the vaunted pundits and commentators......
 
VK4 is easily our best defender - albeit increasingly injury prone rather than error prone which on the whole £32m and £42m still are - with the caveat that they are both improving. I've said all along that £32m just needs time to get used to the pace of the PL and that once he does he will be a beast. Or a rock. One or the other.

But both can take confidence with further selection at the expense of an apparently fit again VK4, St James' Park with be a tough one as they are scrambling around for points like drunks scrabbling on an inglenook floor for butt ends.

£49m is, as Seac rightly says, an impact sub with JohnKelv and Bluedub expanding upon that theme to suggest he is a low impact one at that. I'd suggest his impact has waned as our season has meandered on, yes, his stats are good but facts don't always give the fullest picture.

Been impressed with Clichy, he's playing well and consigning AK13 to a spell on the sidelines - also good to see Delph back and possibly laying claim to a starting berth as we try to reel in the Spuds. Navas is one hell of a trier, mainly my patience but this is offset by the return of Red Kev and pleasingly Nasri, not something I thought I'd ever say. And finally, no injuries for Aguero this evening...

 
I've noted that neither North or, more surprisingly South Korea are showing this fixture live.

We have some way to go before we are a truly global brand.

 
I agree that Sterling's impact has waned KCT, in fact it was during our recent run of bad results that he was at his worst.

As Nasri pointed out, with him and Kev out and Silva struggling with an injury it made us predictable as Sterling and Navas feed off creative players and there's been no one there to slide them balls into space for them to utilise their best asset.

I don't agree that Sterling has made a low impact though. He was instrumental in us qualifying top of our group in CL, he played a vital role in us overturning Everton to get to Wembley and he showed us what he can do when played as a support striker rather than a winger when he scored that hat trick against Bournouth when Aguero was sidelined.

Numbers don't tell the whole story, agreed, but compare and contrast Sterling's with Navas', both playing on the wing and one contributing a lot more than the other where it counts.
 
It's tough for a 20 year old to be impactful when, as BD put it, our world-class wingers were out injured, and we had to rely on Sterling and Navas to do everything on the outside. Then, opposing teams clogged up the middle to keep Yaya and Fernando/Fernandinho from taking shots, and the wing play was limited.

With a healthy Nasri, Silva, and KDB, Sterling should shine on his own, as he can take players on by himself instead of being doubled.
 
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