Friday 8 January 2016 16:09, UK
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini does not intend to bring in any additional defensive cover during the transfer window despite being short of options at the back.
Eliaquim Mangala is the latest City defender to be sidelined after suffering a hamstring injury in City's defeat at Everton in the first leg of the Capital One Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
The Frenchman joins Vincent Kompany in the treatment room, leaving Martin Demichelis and Nicolas Otamendi as Pellegrini's only fit centre-backs for Saturday's FA Cup third-round trip to Norwich City, so right-back Bacary Sagna could be switched to the middle at Carrow Road.
Pellegrini said: "We will see on Saturday the 11 starters but Bacary is an option to play as a centre-back. He has done it before and he likes to play in that position.
"He is an important option, especially now that Pablo Zabaleta has recovered from his injury and will start playing."
And when asked about the possibility of new signings, Pellegrini replied: "For the moment, we continue with the same squad. I trust a lot in them and in the first four months of the season we could do it, so I think we can finish that way also."
It has also been suggested that highly-rated 20-year-old Jason Denayer could be recalled from his loan at Galatasaray but that would require agreement from both clubs and Pellegrini is not currently considering the possibility.
He said: "We will see during January if we change minds for different reasons but at the moment we are not thinking about any options."
Pellegrini will resist the temptation to rush Kompany back. The Belgian suffered a recurrence of a calf injury on his return to action after a lay-off against Sunderland on Boxing Day and continues to receive treatment.
Pellegrini said: "Vincent is progressing the same way a muscle injury must progress, with time, but you cannot try to hurry him up because he needs the days to have a good calf."
Second-choice goalkeeper Willy Caballero started against Everton and will retain his place against the Canaries with Joe Hart rested again.
Pellegrini said: "We are playing so many games it is impossible for the players to work. We are going to play next Wednesday against Everton in the Premier League. For Joe it is very good to have the complete week to work."
The 62-year-old has concerns about a congested fixture list but still wants to make sure his team stay alive in all four competitions.
He said: "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. After that, you see how many games you can advance in each competition.
"It is important to try to win every game because that gives you an ambitious mind, a winning mind, and a lot of things that for me are very important."
