Manuel Pellegrini puts faith in Manchester City match-winner Kelechi Iheanacho
City have 15 points from five successive wins thanks to an 18-year-old Nigerian with 'Promise' as a middle name
Manuel Pellegrini expects Kelechi Iheanacho to play a significant role in Manchester City’s title challenge after the Nigerian teenager’s first goal for the club secured a dramatic 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace.
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Iheanacho, who has the appropriate middle name of Promise, burst onto the Premier League stage on Saturday when he scored the 90th minute winner at Selhurst Park moments after appearing as a late substitute in only his second appearance for City.
He’s one of the reasons I didn’t bring another striker in when we sold Edin Dzeko. He deserves that chance. I told him to go and score a goal
City manager Pellegrini has high hopes for the Nigeria under-20 international and admits the player’s development persuaded him he did not need to bring in a replacement after Edin Dzeko left for Roma.
“He’s a very important player for us. He’s just 18 and started working with our squad last season, but he was unlucky and had a big injury in the last three months of the season,” Pellegrini said.
“This year he started pre-season with the squad and will be a very important player for the future.
“He’s one of the reasons I didn’t bring another striker in when we sold Edin Dzeko. He deserves that chance. I told him to go and score a goal.
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“I was going to make the substitution before, because Wilfried Bony had only worked the last few days with the team, but he told me he was okay.
“That’s why I kept him on, but Kelechi deserved more minutes. It was important he took that chance.”