Manuel Pellegrini calm despite Manchester City injury worries

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini will not be rushed into signing another striker in January despite an ongoing injury crisis which threatens his side’s increasingly hectic campaign.

Pellegrini plugged a gap last year by landing Wilfried Bony from Swansea but believes a stronger squad this time around makes it less imperative for him to hunt for reinforcements.

Sergio Aguero has been ruled out for City’s Premier League early kick-off at Stoke today, joining the likes of Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta and Yaya Toure on the sidelines.

But Pellegrini said: “We made the decision last year because we had three players injured and Kelechi (Iheanacho) was one year younger and he was not the player he is today.

“Jovetic and Aguero had a lot of injuries in the first half of the season and that was why we decided to bring in Bony.

“(But) we are okay with this — we have Kelechi and we have got to give time to the young players. They are maybe not 100% ready to play every game but he is doing very well.

“So I am not concerned that we didn’t bring in another player because we have Kelechi and we also have Sterling who can play as a central striker.”

Despite the return to fitness of the likes of Joe Hart and David Silva, City’s injury problems are far from easing as they look to maintain their challenge for silverware on four fronts.

But Pellegrini is optimistic that the strength in his squad will continue to make a difference as they head into the increasingly busy festive and new year period.

Pellegrini added: “You have to play so many games in December and January with the Capital One Cup and the FA Cup so it is very important to try to be as near to the top as possible.

“We are at the moment in a very good position and I don’t think anybody can have any doubts about the strength of our squad. It is important than when you don’t have the important players, you have a squad that is able to play the same way, and I think that is what we are doing so far.”

Pellegrini has refused to rule out the prospect of leading his side to a clean sweep of all four trophies after reaching the Capital One Cup semi-finals with victory over Hull.

“When you continue in all the competitions, you have so many games. The important thing is to continue with those options in every game you play,” he added.

“It always must be the target of the big clubs. We try to be a big club and to think as a big club, so of course it can be an option but we are not thinking about that.”

Meanwhile Stoke boss Mark Hughes harbours no resentment towards City for his sacking in December 2009 to make way for Italian Roberto Mancini.

“I’ve no bitterness towards City. I wasn’t really their guy,” said Hughes.

“I was appointed by another group of people so when that group changed, if I’m honest, it was only a matter of time before I got replaced.”