Jovetic ready to lead City line – Pellegrini

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini tipped Stevan Jovetic for big things this season, if the forward can stay fit.

Jovetic struggled to stay fit throughout the 2013-14 Premier League season, making just 13 league appearances – only two starts among them – for three goals.

The Montenegrin forward fired a brace in City’s 5-1 pre-season friendly win over Milan on Sunday, as they continued to impress at the International Champions Cup.

And Pellegrini was hopeful the former Partizan and Fiorentina man could play a role for the English champions this season.

“Well Stevan had a lot of bad luck last year,” Pellegrini said, following their rampant win in Pittsburgh.

“He had a lot of injuries during the whole year so it is very difficult for a player to have an important performance when he cannot play three games in a row.

“In this year he started the pre-season the same how he finished last year playing well.

“I think now he works hard and continues every day, he will demonstrate why he is here at Manchester City because I think he is very good player.”

Pellegrini said to win in such emphatic fashion – City were 4-0 up on Filippo Inzaghi’s men inside 26 minutes – was particularly pleasing.

“I think it was a very good game for our team, it is always important to win and also important to score five goals,” the Chilean tactician said.

“But not only that, I thought that we played with good pace and that is very important in the pre-season and we must continuing trying to improve our team and playing this game.

“You can win, and winning the way we did today is better.”