Pellegrini turns to France star with Man City rocked by injuries for Norwich FA Cup tie

MANUEL PELLEGRINI is considering using Bacary Sagna as an emergency sticking plaster in the FA Cup third round tie against Norwich on Saturday as he seeks to manage a growing injury crisis at the heart of defence.

 

Pellegrini may shuffle Bacary Sagna into the middle of Manchester City's defence for Norwich

 

The Manchester City manager, whose side are still fighting on four fronts, admitted his versatile full-back is in the running for a role in the middle after a hamstring injury to Eliaquim Mangala against Everton on Tuesday.
With captain Vincent Kompany facing an indefinite spell on the sidelines with a calf problem, Pellegrini has just Nicolas Otamendi and the ring-rusty Martin Demechelis as his only recognised central partnership.
“We will see tomorrow the eleven starters but Bacary is an option to play as a centre-back,” said Pellegrini. “He has done it before in the past and he likes to play in that position.

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“He is an important option for us and especially now that Pablo Zabaleta has recovered from his injury and he will start playing.”

Zabaleta looks set to start against Norwich tomorrow but whichever partnership Pellegrini chooses to go with he insisted he is not a rush to boost stretched defences with additions in January.

“We are talking about different options but for the moment we keep the same squad,” said the City boss. “We will see during January if we change minds for different reasons but at the moment we are not thinking [of adding to the squad].”

 

City also confirmed there is no likelihood of a recall of Jason Denayer to act as cover for the remainder of the season. The Belgian is currently on a season-long loan at Turkish side Galatasaray.

Pellegrini’s side travel to Carrow Road on Saturday for the first of five games in 18 days in three competitions.

But the Chilean insists they are not about to start prioritising one over the other despite them being halfway through a Capital One Cup semi-final, into the last 16 of the Champions League and with the Premier League title very much in their sights.

 

“The priority for my team is to have the mentality to try and win every game, it doesn’t matter which competition you are playing,” he said. “After that, you see how many games you can advance in each competition.

“It is important to try and every game because that gives you an ambitious mind, a lot of things that for me are very important.”

Pellegrini confirmed he expects an injury update from the medical staff on Mangala and Wilfried Bony (calf) on Saturday.