MANCHESTER, England (AP) Manchester City new signing Nicolas Otamendi will make his Premier League debut at home to West Ham on Saturday after captain Vincent Kompany was ruled out by a calf injury.
Kompany, who picked up the injury during City's 2-1 loss to Juventus in the Champions League on Tuesday, will be replaced by an Argentina center back who cost the league leaders 40 million euros ($44.6 million) when he joined from Valencia toward the end of the transfer window.
''It is important for Nicolas Otamendi to have his opportunity to demonstrate why he is here and Martin Demichelis to return to his performance of last season,'' City manager Manuel Pellegrini said on Friday.
''Otamendi has been working with our team for the last three weeks - maybe not as much as we would like because he went with the national squad. But he is an experienced player, he must have his opportunity in this moment now. I hope he will have a good performance.''
It will be the first time this season that Pellegrini has changed a back four that has kept a clean sheet in all five Premier League games so far.
That defensive performance has been key to City racking up five consecutive wins and leading the standings by four points.
Another of City's Argentina internationals, Sergio Aguero, will return up front on Saturday after playing just seven minutes against Juventus following a knee injury.
''He is 100 percent and will play without any problems,'' Pellegrini said.
Though the odds are stacked in City's favor, its manager was taking nothing for granted against a West Ham side that has made an impressive start under new coach Slaven Bilic.
''West Ham are doing very well this season, especially playing away,'' Pellegrini said. ''It is not easy to win two games against important rivals like Arsenal and Liverpool without conceding a goal.
''They have nine points in the table - a good total - good players and they are playing very well.''
