Nasri set to start for City

Manchester City winger Samir Nasri will make his first Premier League start since September after recovering from a thigh injury.

The Frenchman had muscle ripped from the bone and was excluded from City’s Champions League squad as a result.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini says he will use Nasri to try and salvage their faltering Premier League campaign, starting this Saturday against West Brom.

“It was a very unlucky injury because it was in a training session without any problem,” the Chilean coach said.

“He shot a ball and he felt that something happened in his muscle, and it was a very hard injury.

“I am happy for him because he worked very well in the last month. He returned maybe a little bit earlier than the doctor expected, that’s why he is not in the Champions League list and I changed him for Kelechi [Iheanacho].

“I hope in the last games of the Premier League he will demonstrate how good a player he is.”

Nasri might have been hoping to return into a squad challenging for the Premier League title with seven games to play, but instead his side is looking over their shoulder.

City are fourth in the table and 15 points off league leaders Leicester City, having played a game less, but are just one point clear of cross-town rivals Manchester United, who are gunning for the fourth and final Champions League spot.