Vincent Kompany insists Manchester City can handle the pressure as they challenge for the Premier League title

Citizens' captain believes high-pressure is nothing new to the squad after their rise to prominence as title challengers and backs his team for glory come the end of the season

3 Feb 2012 13:09:00

By Matt Scott

More On :  Manchester City, Vincent Kompany
EPL - Liverpool v Manchester City, Vincent Kompany
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Vincent Kompany has backed his Manchester City team-mates to be mentally strong enough as they challenge for the Premier League title.

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After making a superb start to this season, City's recent stuttering away form has seen them caught by Manchester United and the neighbouring rivals are now level on points at the top of the table.

Suggestions have been made that City's lack of experience in title challenges may set them at a disadvantage compared to the 19-time champions United.

But Kompany told reporters: "If there is one thing I know about our team it is that we are mentally strong.

"We have been living with this pressure for the past three and a half years, and it has not affected us.

"If anything it will give us a boost to carry on and if people want to underestimate us, then please do so."

Kompany returned from a four-match ban to lead City in their 1-0 defeat against Everton on Tuesday night with the Toffees goal coming from former United midfielder Darron Gibson.

But the Belgian is keen to move on from the defeat and get back to winning ways against Fulham this weekend.

"It's not been enjoyable but I have been looking at the team and still feel that we have done a good job," Kompany continued.

"Now we have to look forward, and looking forward I see good things for us, and that is what is important.

"I have always said about our team that we always bounce back very well, and if for some reason you are not lucky and lose a game - giving due credit to Everton - you just have to carry on. On another day we would have won the game.

"My role now is to say to the guys that this one is over, and it's on to the next game, and a clean sheet. We start from the beginning again.

"There is no shame in going under at Everton. It wasn't enjoyable, but we believe we can go back to our best football and win the games that are left to play."

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England 1-0 Belgium, Netherlands 4-0 Northern Ireland - follow all the international action LIVE! ahead of Euro 2012
With countries across the continent gearing up for their final warm-up games ahead of Euro 2012, join us for all the action from Saturday's friendlies. Get in touch with us via Twitter with your reaction.

Hosted by Joe Doyle
20:06 BST
So, that game gave a few players a chance to impress for England. Who did/didn't? Will Welbeck start against France? Or Carroll? Or Defoe?!

19:59 BST
Unfortunately for Northern Ireland, they are trailing the Netherlands 4-0 at half-time. Looks like that one's all sewn up then.
19:54 BST
We're still getting plenty of Hazard chat on Twitter. A few are now saying that he's not worth the hype, others saying he was brilliant(!?) and others (which I agree with), saying he created much of his own hype. What do you think? Get involved!
19:46 BST
Joe Hart has also been giving his thoughts after the Belgium game: "It was a really tough game, a good run out. I thought we played well, [but] we were a little bit bitty at times.

"But, we came through. Obviously there were a lot of changes so it's good to get the result.

"Belgium are a very, very strong side who are going to be really good in the future. Vincent [Kompany] told me about them and said that they were coming good and I totally agree with him."
19:38 BST
Here's Roy Hodgson's reaction to the result and some injury chat: "I'm very pleased, it's been a hard week and we've used a lot of players. There was a lot of disruption in the second-half with substitutions – some forced upon us, some we wanted to do. But it's still a very good end to the week playing against a good Belgian team here. Arguably even stronger than the Norwegian team we played last week and I've got to be more than happy that we've come out with another victory."

"[Gary] Cahill I suppose is slightly more of a concern for me because it is a jaw injury. We're desperately hoping the CT scan doesn't show any fracture and it's just going to be a bruising situation, which will be bad enough, but won't stop him taking part in the tournament. As far as John's [Terry] concerned he felt his hamstring a little bit. Again it wasn't a major thing when he came off but we still need to scan it just to be 100 per cent sure."

Suffice to say, if Cahill has broken his jaw, he won't play any part in the tournament.
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