Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero will not be rested for Wednesday’s English League Cup semi-final first leg against Everton but Wilfried Bony is injured, manager Manuel Pellegrini confirmed on Tuesday.
Aguero has been blighted by injuries this season, with Pellegrini easing him back over the Christmas period after his last knock against Southampton in late November.
The Argentine played nearly the full 90 minutes against Watford in the Premier League at the weekend, grabbing the late winner with a header.
“Bony has a kick in his calf so maybe he’s not fit for tomorrow. In a few days more he should be fine to come back,” Pellegrini said.
“Sergio played three games in a week which was no problem for this moment.
“The last injury was not a muscle injury, just a pain in his heel. He’s fit and the best way for him to recover his best performance is to play games.”
The League Cup represents Pellegrini’s first chance of silverware this season and the Chilean said playing the first leg of the semi-final away from home would be an advantage as they look to win the competition for a second time in three years.
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“It’s always better to play away first so you know what you need in the second leg at home,” he said.
“We must beat Everton, then we can think about the first title and then we think about the best way to start the FA Cup; we must focus game by game regardless of the competition.
“Maybe it’s impossible to win all of the competitions but your attitude and desire and having a winning mentality indicates you must believe you can.”
Of the importance of the League Cup to him and to his players, Pellegrini added: “It is important when you are in a competition always to try and win it.
“We have won three previous games already and now we are in a semi-final. It is a double game of 180 minutes.
“I think that for the team, the club, for everyone, it is always important to win a title. It is very beautiful when you finish at Wembley, full of people, so it is very important for us to win.”
Everton have earned plaudits for their attack this season, with their 36 goals in 20 games making them the third highest scorers in the Premier League, but their defence has looked vulnerable, something underlined in their recent 4-3 loss to Stoke City last month.
But Pellegrini said: “We are not going to change our style of play because Everton concede less or more goals.
“We don’t think it will be easy because Everton conceded some goals in the last game, because every game is different. We are going to try to continue our style and I hope we can score goals.”
Roberto Martinez, the Everton manager, believes his side can earn a first leg advantage to take to the second leg in Manchester later this month.
“I know Goodison will be rocking and what we’re going to see tomorrow will be special,” he said.
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