NICOLAS OTAMENDI insists Manchester City can cope with the continued absence of Vincent Kompany as he looks to build a case for the defence alongside Eliaquim Mangala.
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| Manchester City's clean sheet at Leicester was their first in 10 matches in all competitions |
Kompany is set to spend up to a further month on the sidelines following the recurrence of a calf injury that has restricted him to just eight Premier League starts from 19 games this season.
Without their captain and defensive cornerstone, City hadn't kept a clean sheet in 17 matches in a run stretching back to the end of last season, severely undermining their prospects of regaining the Premier League title in the most open championship race in years.
Apart from surprise contenders Leicester, no side in the top six has shipped as many goals as City, who have also felt the loss through injuries to full-backs Pablo Zabaleta and Gael Clichy.
But the goal flow was finally stemmed against Leicester on Tuesday in a 0-0 draw which saw City stop the Foxes scoring at home for the first time since March, as dangermen Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez were effectively shackled.
"I always enjoy these type of games, against really physical opponents who are very quick, where it is really important to do all the diagonals and anticipate every single movement. I am also happy that we kept a clean sheet," said Otamendi.
The Argentina international, 27, has looked more comfortable in the Premier League than Mangala since he signed from Valencia for £28.5m in the summer, taking manager Manuel Pellegrini's spending on the pair to £70m following Mangala's arrival from Porto 12 months earlier.
In Kompany's absence, which comes after his latest attempted comeback lasted just nine minutes as a substitute against Sunderland on Boxing Day, they now look to be Pellegrini's preferred pairing, with Martin Demichelis as back-up.
And Otamendi believes they have the combination to fill the void and keep City in the hunt for honours with Belgium international Kompany, 29, also set to miss both of City's Capital One Cup semi-final legs against Everton next month and the start of their FA Cup campaign against Norwich.
He added: "It's always sad news when a team-mate gets injured, especially this year with Vinny picking up several injuries. He gives us all his experience, personality and character on the pitch and is a big loss.
"It's a pity as he is a really important player for us and plays a key role in defence. But we have other options, other players who can play in this position.
"Recently myself and Mangala have played together and we always focus on that clean sheet. I am three years older than him, but Mangala and the rest of my colleagues have a lot of international experience, plus Champions League and other European experience.
"I always try to show my confidence in my team-mates when I am on the pitch, to be focussed with them and try to keep the clean sheet. When we keep that clean sheet, it's up to the players up front to then do the business.
"It was really important not to finish 2015 with a defeat. We are still there, at the top part of the table."
