Kompany intensity leads to injuries – Pellegrini

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has no plans to ask Vincent Kompany to change his style despite his captain’s latest injury setback.

Kompany is battling a calf injury that will keep him out of City’s clash at home to West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday.

Pellegrini said the Belgium international’s intensity made him more likely to get injured, but there would be no change.

“The way he plays, Vincent plays with 100 per cent intensity, not every game, but every training session,” he said.

“So it’s not just one problem – that’s the way he always works.

“It’s difficult. It is not easy for him, but he has his characteristics – it’s not easy for him to change.

“He tries sometimes not to be always 100 per cent intensity, but you cannot change.”

Nicolas Otamendi is set to replace Kompany and feature in the Premier League for the first time since his £28.5million move from Valencia in August.

Pellegrini would ideally make no changes to a City team leading the league by four points having not conceded in their opening five games.

“It is always important [not] to have injured players, especially the captain and especially in a moment when we didn’t concede any goals in the first five games,” he said.

“I think it is important to carry on playing with the same names but I always say we have a squad.”