Vinny says: ‘Don’t risk KDB for huge clash’
CITY captain Vincent Kompany believes Pep Guardiola should not gamble on Kevin de Bruyne’s fitness against Liverpool tonight.
The Belgian missed the trip to Southampton on Sunday following his comeback from a second knee ligament injury of the season, but trained with the first-team squad without issue yesterday.
Guardiola said the midfielder will face a late fitness test to determine his availability against the Merseysiders.
A torrid December saw the Blues slip to seven points adrift of Jurgen Klopp’s side, and the game at the Etihad is set to influence the conclusion of the Premier League title race considerably.
But despite the game’s importance, Kompany says he would rather have De Bruyne at full fitness for the remainder of the campaign than tonight’s fixture.
“We all know Kevin’s strengths and his ability to change a game,” he said. “I really don’t know what physical state he is in.
“He seems to be alright but in a way I feel this season still has so much to offer. If I had to decide myself, what I would prefer is for Kevin to be fit for the rest of the season.
“Everybody is focused on Liverpool but there is much more we’ll need him for.”
Liverpool remain the only team unbeaten in the Premier League this season, and recorded a statement 5-1 victory over Arsenal on Saturday.
City lost three league games in four last month – a total that had taken 70 games to amass before that – but Kompany insists he will be content as long as his side plays to their full potential – regardless of the season’s outcome.
“We recover playing how we are,” the 32-year-old explained. “Even if we don’t win this game we’ll be going for so many titles this season and that’s the most important for our team – just get back to who we are and if a team is better than you, fair play.
“Shake their hands and be happy for them if they deserve it.
“But if not, the biggest regret would be to not achieve our standards. If we go back to our standards, everything is wide open for us.
“I’m not interested in the outcome just yet. I’ve been long enough in the game to know how important this game is but, at the same time, to know that this is not the all-defining game as much as people want to put it this way because so many things can happen.”
Liverpool’s consistent level of performance this season has seen them named favourites a first Premier League title in 29 years among the bookies, but Kompany says every team in the league is vulnerable to a dip in form.
“Who would have thought that we would have had three difficult games in December, a month back?” he said. “Nobody would have.
“So there’s nothing to say that with circumstances and injuries that that can’t happen to any team in the league.
“Therefore this game, as much as we want to or need to win it, it’s not the all-defining game but we play how we can and then I’ll feel very, very comfortable despite the result, whatever it is, to go into every other competition and try and win it.”