Cup victory over Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium.
City host Norwich City on Saturday and, with Sergio Agüero still unavailable due to a hamstring injury, Iheanacho is a consideration for the manager. Asked if he would start with the Nigerian, Pellegrini said: “In the way he demonstrates what he can do, of course he has an option to start. For me it just depends on the performance of the players who start.
“I work with him every day so I know what he can give to our team. Last season I think he was ready to do it. We talk about his work permits but unfortunately for him he had a very serious injury in his ankles. That is why he couldn’t play last season. Now he is ready and I am very happy for him to demonstrate what he can do. But it is just one game, he must repeat, he must improve.”
Wilfried Bony has taken Agüero’s place as the leader of the attack. The Ivory Coast forward also scored on Wednesday and he is proving a positive influence on Iheanacho. “Bony is very important not only for Kelechi but very important for the team. He is a striker that prepares very well the play, that supports the ball,” Pellegrini said. “In the way Kelechi plays or Kun [Agüero] plays, those seconds [in holding the ball] he gives are very important for the other strikers to arrive into the right position to try and score, more if they have a good relationship between them.”
David Silva remains out due to an ankle problem and Pellegrini will make a late decision regarding whether the Spaniard can feature at Sevilla in next Tuesday’s Champions League group game. “We will see every day how we improves. We have three more days until Tuesday and we will decide at the end,” the manager said.
Of Pablo Zabaleta’s knee injury Pellegrini said: “Pablo has the same injury in his medial ligament, not so hard as the first one he had so we have now the international break. Probably he will be fit to return after the international break.”
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