Vincent Kompany injury scars are only physical, says Manuel Pellegrini

• Manchester City captain joins Raheem Sterling in squad at Newcastle
• 'He is working 100% – I don't think he has any mind problems'

Posted Tuesday, April 19, 2016 by theguardian.com

Vincent Kompany returns at Newcastle after suffering his 32nd injury in eight years at Manchester City during the Champions League game at Dynamo Kyiv.

Manuel Pellegrini is confident Vincent Kompany is not mentally scarred by having continually to return from injury as the Manchester City captain makes his latest comeback at Newcastle on Tuesday.

Kompany has not played since sustaining a knee problem in the goalless draw with Dynamo Kyiv on 15 March. This was the 32nd separate injury that has struck the Belgian since he joined City in August 2008.

Kompany has been plagued in particular by calf injuries and, though this is not what has ruled him out on this occasion, the 30-year-old was understandably upset when being forced off against Kyiv. Pellegrini has included Kompany in the squad for Newcastle, along with Raheem Sterling, who has not featured since injuring a groin muscle in the 1-0 defeat by Manchester United on 20 March.

The manager said Kompany could start at St James' Park. "He is a very strong player mentally so seeing him working – and we delayed a little bit his return to the first team – I think he is without any problems and he is working 100% with normality. So I don't think he has any mind problems and I hope that we will see him returning to his best performances."

Pellegrini added: "We are going to see tomorrow, just finish talking with him and the doctor, but I think that now he is ready to start."

He is clear Kompany should not have to tailor his game to reduce the chances of further problems. "It's difficult," said the manager. "I think he must continue playing the same way because it's the way he feels football, that is the way he must work every day and he is a very temperamental player so I don't think he will change."

There should also be no barrier to Kompany playing twice in seven days. "I think he's able to play two games a week," Pellegrini said. "It's not the same muscle, not the same leg or injury. Maybe he must review a lot of things, as other players do, to try to have less injuries. But when he's fit I think he can play two or three games a week without a problem."

Pellegrini is also optimistic that Sterling can be at his best instantly. The forward hopes to hit peak form for England's challenge at Euro 2016, just as Kompany does for Belgium.

"I hope that he will return in his best performance the best way he started the season – he started very well," Pellegrini said of Sterling. "After that, for different reasons, he couldn't keep his performance but now in these seven games I hope he will have an important role."

Sergio Agüero scored the seventh hat-trick of his City career in the 3-0 win at Chelsea on Saturday. It took him to 21 Premier League goals, one behind Leicester City's Jamie Vardy and three behind Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur. Agüero won the golden boot as the competition's top scorer last season with 26 goals. One more this season and the Argentinian will have 100 Premier League goals.

"[That is] an important amount of goals," Pellegrini said. "I think he is just behind Kane and Vardy so he is fighting to be the top scorer this year also. And the way he is playing, especially the last game, I am sure it will be difficult for the other strikers to keep up with his performances."