David Silva set to return for Manchester City for the Manchester derby, manager Manuel Pellegrini reveals

Spanish winger has missed City's last two matches with a thigh injury

David Silva is set to return for the Manchester derby (GETTY IMAGES)

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini will be able to call upon David Silva for the Manchester derby on Sunday.

The Spanish winger has recovered from a thigh injury which has kept him out of the club’s last two matches and is set to feature against Manchester United. Full-back Micah Richards could also return for City at the Etihad Stadium, he had been sidelined with a hamstring injury and is yet to play for the club this season. Gael Clichy, however, is training with the first-team again but is a doubt, and new signing Martin Demichelis is out with a knee injury.

"Richards is working normally with the whole squad, same thing for David Silva and Clichy starts now.

"Maybe he [Clichy] will not be ready for next Sunday but all the other players, except [Martin] Demichelis, are fit, no problems."

Vincent Kompany will lead out Pellegrini’s side, having only recently returned to the City team from injury himself, and the Chilean is only too pleased to have his captain back in his team. Kompany completed the full match in City’s 3-0 Champions League victory at Viktoria Plzen on Wednesday.

"I think Vincent is a very important player for us," Pellegrini said.

"We worked well without Kompany. If you see our numbers in games he didn't play, we had three clean sheets, but he is always important. He gives confidence to the whole team."

Despite it being his first derby in England, Pellegrini is only too aware of the importance of Sunday’s contest, calling it a "six point" match.

"I don't need to be here to know how important the derby is, but working here and living here I know it is a special game," Pellegrini said.

"It is a match of six points. It is very important to win, [against] one of the most important teams.

"Manchester United will always be one of the teams trying to win the Champions League, so playing at home against Manchester United is very important.

"It is more important to win than not to lose. Of course if you cannot win it is better not to lose, but we will try to win from the beginning."