Kelechi Iheanacho backed for first league start against Norwich City
David Silva ruled out; decision to be made for Sevilla
Pablo Zabaleta out for 25 days
Manuel Pellegrini might find it impossible to leave out teenage striker Kelechi Iheanacho from Saturday’s home game against Norwich City after his man-of-the-match performance against Crystal Palace on Wednesday but claimed that the youngster could still improve.
Iheanacho, 19, pitched in with a goal to celebrate his first start for City and also supplied two very unselfish and intelligent assists as City routed Alan Pardew’s side 5-1 to qualify for the quarter finals of the Capital One Cup where they will face Hull City at home.
The Nigerian is ineligible for Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Seville and with Sergio Aguero still out with a hamstring injury Pellegrini was in no rush to reveal his plans for tomorrow but restated his trust in the teenager and could hand him his first start in the league.
He said: “Sergio is continuing with his treatment, he’s different and has a muscle injury so he needs the amount of days that he needs to be fit.”
He added: “Last season I thought Kelechi was ready to do it but we talked about his work permit and then he had a serious injury in his ankle which is why he didn’t play last season.
“Now he’s ready and I’m very happy for him to demonstrate what he can do, but that was just one game.
“Kelechi made an impact in the way that he played the other day and it’s a challenge for him to repeat it, and to fight for a place in the starting XI.
“For me I am very happy and it’s not a problem.
Also on the scoresheet against Crystal Palace was Wilfried Bony, and Pellegrini backed the Ivorian to continue his scoring run and perhaps continuing his partnership with Iheanacho against the Canaries.
He said: “Bony is very important not just for Kelechi but for the team. He is a striker that prepares very well for the play and supports the ball in the way that Kelechi or Kun plays.
“Those seconds that he gives a pause are very important for the strikers to arrive to the right position to try to score.”
“It’s very important for Kelechi to be support not just for Bony but for the whole team.”
Pellegrini is not looking to field a weakened team against Norwich, despite a 7-0 drubbing handed to the Canaries two seasons ago, to try and maximise City’s chances in Seville, though.
He said: “We can’t think about what we did two seasons ago. This is a different team with different names in a different moment.
“I think that picking a weaker team would be a great mistake.
“We are not thinking about Sevilla, we are thinking about Norwich because we must win the three points here at home.
“If we want to continue in the lead in the table we cannot drop points here at home.
“After we are finished we will see for Tuesday which are the better players to start against Sevilla but we are not thinking about that yet.”
Pellegrini confirmed that David Silva wouldn’t feature against Norwich and was a doubt for Sevilla, while Fabian Delph and Gael Clichy would not be fit until next week.
He said: “David Silva is not in the squad list for the weekend – he still feels some pain in his ankle so is not available.
“We will see every day how he improves – we have till Tuesday for Sevilla – three more days and we will decide.
“I hope after the international break that Samir Nasri, David Silva, Kun [Aguero] and Pablo Zabaleta will be 100% fit.
“Pablo has the same injury in his medial ligament – not so hard as the first one that he had.
“We have the international break and probably he will be fit to return after that. In 25 days he will be ready.”