MANUEL PELLEGRINI believes getting his key Manchester City players back fit at the same time would be crucial in winning back the title.
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| Manuel Pellegrini would loves his key men to always be fit for Manchester City |
With Vincent Kompany still injured, it means the captain, Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva have not started any games together in the league this season.
That inconsistency could be seen as City were forced to rely on an 80th-minute Aguero equaliser to claim a 2-2 draw on Saturday, with the Argentine and Enner Valencia scoring two apiece.
Pellegrini confirmed Kompany is three weeks away from being available, and feels that can finally help City find the "consistency" to win the title.
"In the first 23 games, in the 11 players who played the most minutes, we don't have Aguero, Silva, Kompany. I hope that in the second part of the season they will be involved in all the games because they are very important," said Pellegrini.
"It is not only to have the players but also to have the good performance of those players. There are a lot of things that you must try to work on from now until the end of the season and just one team can win the title. I hope if we recover all the players and performances, we have an important chance.
"Vincent is far away from a comeback as he needs at least three weeks more to recover from his muscle injury."
Saturday's draw also featured on-loan Barcelona midfielder Alex Song get the better of Yaya Toure in midfield, although Pellegrini said he had no concerns over the Ivorian's performance.
Slaven Bilic admitted "it was kind of crazy" to bring in Song given his injury record but that he is a "big fan" and will now see how his situation develops before deciding whether to buy him.
"We are going to see how we play. I am a big Song fan," he said. "It was a big risk, as a new manager, to sign a player who is expensive and injured and I have to wait two-and-a-half months [before he can play].
"It was kind of crazy from me so I don't have to prove myself or be questioned am I his fan or not. I am more than his fan, especially when he plays like this.
"He had some good games for us. If he is playing like this he is unquestionable. He is a great player, great in every aspect. And I can only hope and I expect from him to maintain this kind of performance."
Song does not believe he is quite back to his best yet and said the reason he wears the distinctive glasses is because of an eye infection.
"The doctor was saying an infection is very bad for me. I have to keep wearing them until he tells me not to," said Song.
"It's not easy because sometimes when it's raining or when it's a little bit dark, I can't see. Sometimes I have to take it off.
"I know if something happens to me again, it will be very bad. I just try to manage it. It's not easy."
WEST HAM (4-3-3): Adrian 6; Jenkinson 4 (Byram 12, 6), Reid 6, Collins 6, Cresswell 7; Song 9, Kouyate 8, Noble 8; Antonio 8 (Moses 64, 6), Valencia 8 (Jelavic 87), Payet 9. Booked: Noble, Byram. Goals: Valencia 1, 56. NEXT UP: Liverpool (a) Sat, FA Cup.
MAN CITY (4-3-3): Hart 7; Sagna 6, Demichelis 6, Otamendi 6, Clichy 6; Delph 6 (Iheanacho 76), Toure 6, Silva 6 (Fernando 82); Navas 6 (Sterling 67, 6), Aguero 9, De Bruyne 6. Booked: Demichelis, Toure, Fernando. Goals: Aguero 8 pen, 80. NEXT UP: Aston Villa (a) Sat, FA Cup.
REFEREE: C Pawson (South Yorkshire).
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